Unfortunately, this program smacks of Colonialism. The paternalistic belief that the cream of white society can provide an "education" for Indigenous Australian students from remote communities echoes the view that these students are "poor unfortunates". Such programs have been proven time and again not to work. Indigenous culture is not being understood or respected here. Family and group earning is essential for Indigenous Australians. Their rich culture still exists, even in the dust and poverty of remote communities. The Elders are sitting on the ground waiting to tell their stories and pass them on to the next generation, as they have done for tens of thousands of years. The songs, the ceremonies and the languages are still alive and need to be preserved. Real education would be learning through culture. This "two way" learning, in which English is learned using culturally appropriate methods, including bilingual teaching has been successful in many Indigenous communities. Instead of plucking children from their families (which still has painful reminders of the Stolen Generations), why not send some students and teachers to live in remote communities and learn Aboriginal culture and language? This exchange would show respect and inclusiveness. Isolating Indigenous students from their families is unhealthy and sends the wrong message to all Australians: that Indigenous communities cannot educate their own children. This is so far from the truth. A story so rich in tradition that it can be traced back to prehistoric times as children are taken walking through their mother's, grandmother's, father's or grandfather's country,needs to be given the recognition it deserves.

I have been saying absolutely everything in this article since AIEF was created and not one person has taken any notice .

Something that was left out that prior to the Federal election Andrew Penfold was told by an Abbott staffer all of AIEFs Govt funding would be cut off as soon as Abbott was elected . This became public and Abbott had to back off . Penfold was then rewarded with millions more in funding along with a position on Abbotts Indigenous Advisory Committee

I retired at Xmas after 30 years in Aboriginal Education and employment in Senior positions . I applied for this committee but was overlooked mainly because being me in my application I told the PM I would never tell him what he wanted to hear just the truth

To assume, as the author does, that only the government can provide a long term solution (through education in this case) seems to be repeating a proven recipe for failure. The idea of providing the best possible educational base to a group of potential leaders from the indigenous community, some of whom might develop the motivation, skills and opportunities to drive change from the inside seems like a good concurrent strategy at the very least. I agree it would be a suitable project for a private organisation or charity to fund, but Australian culture has evolved so that what would normally be undertaken by such an organisation elsewhere, is often done by our government (from my little understanding of the finances involved, 20 million is really chicken feed when compared to other programs). And to suggest that effectiveness not emotion should be used in developing public policy? That will never get up.

I am currently trying to gain a place for an Aboriginal girl from the Tiwi Islands to do Year 12 "down south" this year ahead of wanting to study medicine. How good would that be and shouldn't a number of schools be willing to take her on. The task is proving to be difficult because of the bureaucratic structures in place around scholarships and bursaries which cannot accept a late entry to the field of an Aboriginal person with high ideals.
The AIEF is limited by the partner schools it deals with which are few and far between. I accept the fact that Mr Penfold has chosen a path in the development of the organization that is deliberate and sure of success but one would hope there is a small pool of money somewhere to dip into so this girl can complete her dream which has so far played out in her home base on Bathurst Island. She is keen but there seems to be no system that can take on late entries. If we are ever going to succeed we have to be flexible enough to accommodate these sort of situations as they arise and not let down a person with high ambitions. Happy to receive any suggestions.
Rollo Manning at rollom@iinet.net.au

Rollo,
What would be in this for you ?
Isn't this bandwagon ever slowing down ?

In 2012, 5812 Indigenous students commenced university study in Australia (see:

http://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/2012_full_year_summary.pdf )

or 1.52 % of all commencing domestic students. Indigenous commencing students have a median age of around 24-25, and there are around 10,000-11,000 Indigenous people in each of those age-groups these days. So the equivalent of 55-60 % of the median age-group commenced university study in 2012.

You won't find any mention of this in publications of the Indigenous Higher Education Council (or whatever it is called today), presuming they put out any (not according to Google). Elitism runs deep in the higher echelons of Indigenous organisations, alongside incompetence and cronyism.

Currently, there are around thirty five thousand (35,000) Indigenous university graduates. Tertiary qualifications have become a mass phenomenon. But again, you won't find those education bodies ever talking about this. Mass activity and achievement is now running deep within the urban Indigenous population.

Could there be some conflict eventually between these two trends, elite and mass going their separate ways ?

More data can be found on my web-site: www.firstsources.info - under 'Twenty-First Century'.

Joe