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Indigenous Education in Queensland: One Teacher’s View

Many writings on indigenous education focus on the role of the individual teacher. This is as it should be since the individual teacher is indeed the most significant factor in the success or failure of an educational program. There are other factors, however, which are significant, and in this article I would like to deal with one, namely: the system within which a teacher works. A good educational system develops, supports and encourages good teaching practice. A poor system inevitably, if unintentionally, frustrates the efforts of its teachers. I believe many of the ablest and most dedicated teachers in Queensland are frustrated. I present here my own view. Quite possibly some of the facts are wrong. The important point is that this is the impression that at least one teacher on the job has of the way things work. I would also like to propose a few ways in which the Queensland Education Department and the Queensland Teachers Union could better promote indigenous education through more effective staffing and curriculum development procedures. I do not mean to suggest that either of these two organizations is unconcerned with the plight of indigenous students; I do mean to suggest that both bodies are committed to maintaining an administrative system which is inappropriate and harmful to the interests of these students. In order to establish a truly effective program for indigenous students, substantive changes need to be made in the bureaucracy.