Abstract
There are currently very few Aboriginal teachers in Australia. In the 2016 census statistics, a little over 2% of fully qualified and registered teachers in Australia were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander.
The low number of Aboriginal school teachers is a critical issue in the Northern Territory (NT) because, according to 2022 ABS statistics, the NT had the highest percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at 39.4%. Disturbingly, many Aboriginal students are reported to achieve below expected standards. The NT’s NAPLAN performance has been described as the worst in Australia, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students performing lower than their non- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peers. There is an obvious cultural disparity aspect to academic achievement in our Australian education system.
The low number of Aboriginal school teachers is a critical issue in the Northern Territory (NT) because, according to 2022 ABS statistics, the NT had the highest percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at 39.4%. Disturbingly, many Aboriginal students are reported to achieve below expected standards. The NT’s NAPLAN performance has been described as the worst in Australia, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students performing lower than their non- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peers. There is an obvious cultural disparity aspect to academic achievement in our Australian education system.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Specialist publication | Needed Now in Learning and Teaching |
| Publisher | Needed Now in L & T |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Oct 2024 |
