You are right, 579, that to get the kids through school and into uni, a change of socio-cultural context is needed. Perhaps, though, instead of taking them away from the elders (which sounds strangely like a policy that has failed once before), we should offer educational incentives to those elders. In my experience of educating indigenous kids, most care a lot more about what their community leaders say than they do about what any white teachers and school administrators say. If we can help the elders to see the value of education - perhaps by offering them educational opportunities of their own - maybe we can turn them into allies who will support their younger community members throughout their schooling (and, hopefully, university) years.

The current generation of elders are very different from the elders back in the 50s. They valued education more, but could not break through the white man's glass house due to the racist policies of the era. The current elders, who are their grandchildren, are part of the current lost generations fueled by a recent history of drugs, alcohol, petrol sniffing, violence and dependency. A lot needs to change.