ABSTUDY REPORT SUPPORTS NTEU CLAIMS
25 July 2006
The Federal Minister for Education Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop last week released the final report of the Review into the impact of ABSTUDY policy changes that came into effect in 2000.
In response to community concerns about the impact of changes made in 2000 to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Assistance Scheme (ABSTUDY), the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP, on 31 March 2004 approved the terms of reference for a review, to be undertaken by the Strategic Analysis and Evaluation Group of the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).
The NTEU reported in its submission to this review that Indigenous commencement at University in 2000 had dropped by 15.3% over the previous year and asserted that this was due to changes introduced to the ABSTUDY scheme.
The then Minister for Education, Science and Training, Dr Brendan Nelson, had released a discussion paper in November 2004 that asserted the declines in university Indigenous participation were not due to the cuts to ABSTUDY, but rather were due to changes in University enrolment policies, increased employment of Indigenous people and that Indigenous students were choosing to enrol in VET courses rather than University degree's.
The following statements from the Report released last week support the NTEU view that the ABSTUDY changes have had a significant impact on Indigenous participation at University:
Some more general reorientation of Indigenous demand away from higher education towards VET may have also occurred in recent years but probably not on a large scale. ….Similarly, the opportunities for Indigenous people in the labour market have not improved strongly enough to draw many Indigenous people away from higher education, …
Together, the developments within the higher education sector, the VET sector and the labour market may explain much of the recent weakness in Indigenous higher education enrolments in recent years. But this does not preclude the possibility that ABSTUDY may have played a contributing role.
The Australian Vice Chancellors’ Committee acknowledged that a range of factors have probably shaped trends in Indigenous enrolments but asserted that the ABSTUDY changes had also had an impact.
Source: Final Report of Review into the impact of ABSTUDY policy changes that came into effect in 2000.
NTEU Indigenous Officer Joel Wright said, “It is unfortunate the report is silent on one of the most significant changes to ABSTUDY, the abolition of the Student Financial Supplementary Support (SFSS) scheme which provided students in receipt of ABSTUDY or AUSTUDY with loans to pay for additional living and education costs associated with university study. The 'loans scheme' was abolished in April 2003, after which there was an almost immediate decline of 12.1% in Indigenous student commencements in 2004 (7902), and in 2005, based on half yearly figures, an 11% decline is already evident. Thus since 2003, we have 1,955 less Indigenous students commencing university, representing a decline of 21.8%”.
"The Federal Government in abolishing the loans did not provide any replacement program to offset the loss of financial support. This in addition to increases in HECS fees, is for many students Indigenous and non-Indigenous students alike, the difference in being able to go to University or not”, Mr Wright said.
In response to the abolition of the SFSS and at the invitation of the previous Education Minister Brendan Nelson, the NTEU, in November last year, tabled a paper proposing alternatives for Indigenous Student Income Support. The current Minister Hon Julie Bishop has acknowledged receipt of this paper and has invited further discussion from the Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council and the NTEU with regard to improving Indigenous participation at university. To this end the IHEAC has developed a series of recommendations regarding Indigenous Student Income Support, which the NTEU strongly supports.
In addition the NTEU reiterates its call on the Federal Government to re-establish adequate levels of income support for Indigenous students undertaking university study as recommended in our submission to the inquiry.
See NTEU Submission to the impact of ABSTUDY Policy Changes in 2000 Review at: http://www.nteu.org.au/policy/submissions/submissions05/11221)
NTEU recommendations to this review included:
1. That the Government support the continuance of an Indigenous specific support scheme and ensures that it is financially resourced at a level necessary to implement the goals of the Commonwealth’s Aboriginal Education Policy.
2. That for any such scheme to increase Indigenous participation and outcomes in higher education, it must recognise the specific needs of Indigenous students including;
§ That the Indigenous population has a higher density of youth than the non Indigenous population as potential tertiary education participants and the younger age at which Indigenous youth are required to assume financial and social independence.
§ The need of Indigenous students to travel during the course of their study due to family and community responsibilities.
§ Ensuring that Indigenous students are able to access a full range of supplementary support programs provided by Government departments and individual institutions to improve participation and outcomes.
3. That as a matter of urgency the Federal Government directly involves the Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council in providing leadership and advice on all Indigenous higher education issues, including consideration of the outcomes of this inquiry.
4. That the Federal Government in consultation with Indigenous Higher Education stakeholders consider reviewing the allocation by Universities of the Commonwealth Learning and Accommodation Scholarships to affect the targeting of these scholarships being awarded to Indigenous students.
The NTEU urges Minister Bishop to give serious consideration to the IHEAC recommendations in light of the current critical state of Indigenous university enrolment decline.
For more information contact:
Mr Joel Wright
NTEU
Indigenous Officer (IHEAC
Observer), Ph: (03) 9254
1910