Education amongst the Indigenous children
A good education is imperative for society’s socioeconomic development since it provides members of the community with the skills required to solve problems, improve productivity, and engage in social and economic activities. For that reason, providing good education to the Indigenous children in Australia will go a long way towards improving the livelihood and overall wellbeing of the community. However, in his article, Ketchell (2017) feels that the Indigenous children in Australia are disadvantaged concerning educational opportunities, although the author thinks that there are opportunities to address the educational gaps. Ketchell (2017) is trying to solve the Indigenous having unequal educational opportunities compared to others. The number of Indigenous children participating in education is increasing, which is a positive indication of socioeconomic improvement. However, as the author argues, Indigenous children face various challenges that might prevent them from achieving optimal learning outcomes in terms of skills gained and grades acquired. Nevertheless, it is possible to address the challenges by viewing education as an integral part of other socioeconomic factors, including the culture and economy.
The article uses three main claims to show that addressing the educational gaps for the benefit of Indigenous children is imperative. The rate at which Indigenous children are enrolling in education has gone up considerably over the last decade. Additionally, increased participation of Indigenous children in education is a positive element since it has led to an increased rate of literacy, reading and math ability, and abstract reasoning. However, Ketchell (2017) makes the third claim by showing that indigenous children in urban areas in Australia are less willing to participate in education due to a combination of generic factors, including the high cost of tuition and transport-related challenges. In addition, cultural factors, especially the concern among the Indigenous parents that schools will preserve the cultural identity of their children, prevent effective participation. Consequently, it is imperative to have a system that recognizes and promotes Indigenous culture by delivering culturally appropriate education.
The author provides evidence to support the claims made. He shows that the rate of early childhood education enrollment amongst Indigenous children rose from 46% in 2001 to 75% in 2013. Additionally, there is research evidence showing that participation in preschool and childcare is associated with improved performance on reading, literacy, math, and abstract reasoning. Unfortunately, information from the Australian Early Development Census shows that Indigenous children were twice as likely to report underdevelopment on two or more domains compared to others. The core domains include language and cognitive skills, emotional maturity, social competence, physical health and wellbeing, general knowledge, and communication skills. The evidence provided is of high quality since it comes from reliable sources. In addition, the evidence is based on recent research studies, which were formal. Consequently, the evidence is highly reliable.
The author has made significantly important biases that make the article skewed towards the unmet needs of the Indigenous children. In other words, the article does not provide a balanced view, even if it was written with the sole aim of addressing challenges facing Indigenous children concerning education. The statement that many Indigenous kids will be nervous since they will encounter new environments, teachers, and peers is biased. The argument is not based on research but on the subjective belief and feeling of the author. Arguably, being feeling nervous is normal when a person is getting to a new environment. For that reason, the feeling is not exclusive to Indigenous people only, as the author insinuates.
If I were to write an essay on the issue of education for the Indigenous children, I would agree with the arguments and claims that the author makes. It is without a doubt that Indigenous people in Australia are facing discrimination, which has led to inequality in various socioeconomic spheres. The Australian government has made a notable achievement in promoting the welfare of the Indigenous people, but they are still facing challenges. Notably, the Indigenous people are educationally disadvantaged, although the number of children completing high school has improved by about 20% over the past decade (BBC News, 2020). Ketchell (2017) is arguing the same in his article, thereby calling for strategies to address the inequality or educational gaps facing the Indigenous children. Consequently, I would agree with the arguments and claims that the author presents.
If you were to write an essay on this argument, I would need to be aware of various biases. Most importantly, I would be conscious that failure to embed Indigenous culture into the education system, including curriculum and subjects, is not the only reason for reduced participation in education amongst the Indigenous children. The argument is based on the assumption that the preservation of cultural values is the primary concern for the Indigenous people. Instead, understanding the extent to which the Indigenous people value education is crucial. The value of education is then based on whether there are inequalities in other socioeconomic areas, including employment.