Full Universities Australia Logo Universities Australia Logo
Study in Australia
  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Board
    • Our Staff
    • History
    • Career Opportunities
  • Facts & Publications
    • Student Statistics
    • Staff Statistics
    • University & Funding Statistics
    • Publications
  • Policy & Submissions
    • Submissions
    • Teaching, Learning & Funding
    • Research & Innovation
    • International
    • Diversity & Equity
    • Safety & Wellbeing
    • Health
    • Copyright
  • Campaigns & Projects
  • Our universities
    • University Profiles
    • Teaching Calendar
    • University Contacts
    • University Startup Hubs
    • Student Safety – Contacts
    • 2022 Floods
  • Media
  • Events
  • Contact
Study in Australia
©2023
Site by ED.

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Media Release 14 February 2020

Unis worried by widening high school gap for regional Indigenous kids

High school completion rates for young Indigenous people in our major cities have jumped by 21 per cent over this decade – but rates have gone backwards in regional areas.

That trend worries universities and Indigenous leaders, who are concerned the slide could put at risk the strong gains of the past decade in Indigenous university access and attainment.

And there is still a 15 per cent gap overall in high school attainment between Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people.

Universities Australia and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium said they were concerned at the future implications from the latest figures.

Universities Australia Chief Executive Catriona Jackson said the gulf in high school completions for young people in regional and remote areas – revealed in the Closing The Gap report this week – must be a major focus.

“City kids are now almost on par with non-Indigenous Year 12 students,” she said,
“But the gap – and the potential number of kids on a pathway to university – widens significantly the more regional and remote you go.”

NATSIHEC President Dr Leanne Holt said it was particularly concerning because a university education eliminates the gap in employment rates for Indigenous people.

“Having a degree opens so many doors – including to good jobs and terrific opportunities,” she said.

“We have to turn that picture on high school completions around so our young people in the regions and remote communities can also access those opportunities.”

The Closing the Gap strategy set a target to halve the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children with a Year 12 education.

Overall high school attainment for Indigenous young people rose from 45 per cent to 66 per cent from 2008 to 2018 – compared to 91 per cent for non-Indigenous students.

That big gain reduced the gap with non-Indigenous young people from 40 per cent to 25 per cent.

But attainment rates actually fell slightly for young Indigenous people in regional areas.

Related Media

See All Media
media-item
Media Release
15 March 2023

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ARRIVALS BOOMING

International students are continuing to return at a healthy rate, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows.

Read more
media-item
Media Release
14 March 2023

UNIVERSITIES KEY TO AUSTRALIA'S DEFENCE TRANSFORMATION

Australia’s universities will play a major part in skilling the workforce needed to deliver the nation’s nuclear submarine plan in partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom.

Read more
media-item
Media Release
11 March 2023

EDUCATION FRONT AND CENTRE IN GOLDEN ERA FOR AUSTRALIA-INDIA RELATIONSHIP

Universities Australia strongly welcomes the Albanese Government’s focus on strengthening Australia and India’s economic and cultural ties, with education playing a leading role.

Read more
See All Media
Universities Australia Logo
Study in Australia

Popular Search Terms

  • Business & Community
  • Careers & Staffing
  • Indigenous
  • International
  • Resources & Regulation
  • Quality Assurance
  • Governance
  • Research
  • Students & Teaching
  • Student Income Support
  • Teaching Calendar
©2023
Site by ED.
Universities Australia Logo
Study in Australia

Sign up

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
©2023
Site by ED.
Universities Australia Logo


Australian Aboriginal Flag Flag of the Torres Strait Islanders

Quick Links

  • Home
  • About
  • Facts & Publications
  • Policy & Submissions
  • Campaigns & Projects
  • Our universities
  • Media
  • Events
  • Contact

Get in touch

  • 1 Geils Court
  • Deakin ACT 2600
  • T: +61 2 6285 8100

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
©2023 - Site by ED.
Legal
Study in Australia
Site Index