Researchers are seeing an attendance drop-off as Indigenous children make the transition to high school, especially in remote areas.
The study from the University of Queensland and Charles Darwin University looks at school attendance data from all states and territories.
Study leader Dr Azhar Potia says educators need to talk to communities, who should set their own targets.
“Anything that involves adding a target or a change in reform I believe needs to start from the ground up,” he says.
“They have the solutions specific to their communities, we need to listen to those voices.”
Researchers from the universities have found there is no target for Indigenous children starting high school in the Closing the Gap plan.
Dr Potia says they spoke to Indigenous school staff, community leaders and students about the drop off as part of the research.
The attendance cliff is more pronounced in remote areas. Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash
He says geographical dislocation when children start high school, generational trauma and a lack of culturally safe spaces in schools are all part of the wider issue.
“We do see this drop happening even on entry to secondary school for major cities … but obviously it’s much more pronounced in remote and really remote communities,” he says.
Researchers will continue documenting student and educator voices to try to understand the “attendance cliff”, and are looking to find more “community informed” solutions to the problem.
