Students take time to learn culture

CULTURAL business that takes Aboriginal teenagers away from class is being considered part of the curriculum at remote schools.

CULTURAL business that takes Aboriginal teenagers away from the classroom for up to a term at a time is being considered as part of the curriculum in remote central Australian schools.

The program is an attempt to improve attendance rates in schools in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, which are averaging about 65 per cent.

However, it has raised concerns about watering down academic expectations for Aboriginal students.

Skills in the areas of traditional community, life skills and traditional lore had all been accredited under the curriculum, the South Australian Education Department said.

Chris Sarra, executive director of the Stronger Smarter Institute for indigenous education at the Queensland University of Technology, welcomed the initiative but cautioned against lowering standards for Aboriginal education.

"I think they have got to be congratulated for trying to find an innovative way to honour indigenous culture in mainstream schools," he said.

"But my only word of caution is that they don't confuse attempts to be culturally sensitive with watering down expectations."

Remote Indigenous Services co-ordinator-general Brian Gleeson said the practice was working effectively in the APY community of Mimili, where school attendance rates were 63 per cent.

"The principal and Anangu co-ordinator worked with elders in the community to identify what skills and knowledge the boys would be gaining during this period and negotiated with the Education Department to have this term considered part of their curriculum," he said.

A spokeswoman for the Education Department said 12 students had taken part in the program in Mimili since 2010, but she was unable to say how long the students were away from normal studies.

She was also unable to provide details of the number of students taking part in the program in other remote schools.

"Nationally, it is recognised that once Aboriginal boys reach a certain age, they often disengage from school and some never return," the spokeswoman said.

"Boys who need to attend cultural business that would take them away from school for a term had the learning they would achieve during this period recognised as part of their studies.

"This learning was not recognised as part of a specific subject, but was confirmed to be at an equivalent standard to learning in an accredited subject."