Mapping Indigenous education participation

Abstract

This paper examines how the schooling participation of Indigenous 15-19 year olds relates to educational and employment rates, and to other educational outcomes. It provides a geographic analysis of the factors associated with educational participation, and finds that physical remoteness and an inability to access schools and institutions is of most concern. Other factors found to be important, though, include social and economic disruption in Indigenous households, and access to electronic resources in the homes which support educational participation. The geographic analysis examined 62 units known as Consolidated Indigenous Areas (CIAs). The study investigates labour market conditions in the CIAs and calculates Indigenous and non-Indigenous population ratios, with a particular focus on the youth employment sector and the existence of the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) scheme. The physical remoteness of study respondents is also compared with their remoteness five years ago, and finds that a substantial number have not moved, an observation which could have important implications for the provision of distance and online learning.