Setting Them Up For Strong Futures: Education as a key to social and human capacity building for Indigenous People

The role of education systems is to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to allow them on leaving school, to be competent to undertake further education and training, and at some stage to enter into gainful and rewarding work. These educational foundations are essential to the quality of their participation in society and in developing for themselves satisfying and fulfilling lives. However, amongst the Australian student population, there are specific groups who even if they complete basic schooling, will have less success in employment and careers thus contributing to less productive futures. Many Indigenous students 'drop out' before Year 10 with few completing Year 12 or its equivalent and of those that complete Year 12, few proceed to take up university study (MCEETYA, 2006). There is an urgent need to address these inequalities which continue to contribute to widening the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians..