This work tries to elaborate public health approaches to increase the school attendance rate of indigenous students. It is approximately 50.000 years ago that the first humans settled down in this part of the world. Scientists and archaeologists assume that the first aboriginal people moved from the Indonesian archipelago down to Australia. The sea level was significantly lower than today and the ancestors of the native Australians could move to the country in small boats. Ancient Australia was an inhospitable and harsh place to live. However, the indigenous population was able to colonize the continent, but sparse. Scientists estimated the maximum population to be 900.000 people.
Their culture was shaped by a strong spirituality, which is still important for today’s aboriginal peoples. The first European discoverers arrived in the 17th century. On the 22nd August 1770, Captain James Cook declared the east coast of Australia to be a British colony. Over the next few years, the European settlers started to take the land from the aboriginals and create a western nation, while the number of indigenous people was reduced significantly. Since those days, integration and protection programs were launched to increase the health and life of the so called first-nation people. Although, key factors like the child mortality or the life expectancy are still significantly different in indigenous and non- indigenous communities. To reduce those differences, the Australian government started the “Closing-the-Gap” initiative, created in 2008. The main target is to close the gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous people within one generation.
Table of Contents
Background
The early aboriginal history
The health in our modern 21st century
The preferred approach
Conclusion
Health Plan
Health Plan – The history of the first nation people
Health Plan – Aboriginal life in modern Australia
Why should we focus on the school attendance rate? – The role of the social determinants of health
How many Students don’t go to school?
Why don’t the students go to school?
The Indigenous community of Mataranka
The Health Plan
The analysis of the current situation
Important organizations
Health approaches
Health Plan
The restructuring of classes
Cultural awareness and the anti-bullying campaign
The educational campaign
The reduction of alcohol use
Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This work examines public health strategies aimed at increasing school attendance rates among Indigenous students in the town of Mataranka, Northern Territory, Australia. The core research addresses how social determinants of health and educational barriers contribute to attendance gaps, proposing a multi-level intervention strategy.
- Analysis of social determinants influencing Indigenous health and education
- Evaluation of current school attendance data in the Northern Territory
- Impact of school culture, teaching quality, and infrastructure on attendance
- Implementation of cultural awareness, anti-bullying, and educational campaigns
- Mitigation of substance abuse as a barrier to student success
Excerpt from the Book
The restructuring of classes
In this chapter, we focus on the school factors. Factors like the teaching quality have a direct influence on the student’s attendance and if the quality is bad or the lessons boring, students do not go to school (35). To reduce that risk and hopefully increase the attendance rate, a restructuring and modernising of the teaching background and class structure could be helpful.
Because many students said, that the natural science and math classes are the most boring ones, we are going to focus on that ones. With the Mataranka Hot Springs, knowledge about natural processes is also very important. The restructuring process is influenced by the criticism of Prof. Harald Lesch. In his opinion, natural science and math classes should have a greater practical focus (36). The homework are also reduced or completely abolished due to their little benefit (37). The close national park offers a great opportunity to study natural processes in the field.
Another important change to the school curriculum is the ad of an additional subject. To close the knowledge gap between the indigenous and the non-indigenous population, the subject Aboriginal Culture and Philosophy is added to the school plan. In this subject, students should learn more about the cultural background of the local aboriginal culture. This is also a part of the Cultural Awareness Campaign, which is the next topic.
Chapter Summary
Background: Provides a historical overview of Indigenous Australians and the introduction of the "Closing-the-Gap" initiative to address life expectancy and health disparities.
Health Plan: Analyzes the specific socio-economic and educational context of Mataranka, including detailed attendance statistics and demographic data compared to national averages.
The Health Plan: Outlines a structured multi-level approach involving organizations like the Lowitja Institute to tackle educational and social barriers through specific campaigns.
The restructuring of classes: Proposes modernizing the curriculum and teaching methods to make core subjects more practical and relevant to local indigenous culture.
Cultural awareness and the anti-bullying campaign: Focuses on creating a safer school environment by fostering mutual understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
The educational campaign: Highlights strategies to improve the perceived value of education within the Indigenous community and encourage higher enrollment in final years.
The reduction of alcohol use: Addresses the critical impact of parental substance abuse on children's health and educational performance through public health education.
Keywords
Indigenous Australians, School Attendance, Public Health, Mataranka, Northern Territory, Closing-the-Gap, Social Determinants of Health, Educational Reform, Cultural Awareness, Anti-Bullying, Substance Abuse, Curriculum Restructuring, Indigenous Culture, Health Promotion, Telemedicine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores public health approaches to improve the school attendance rate of Indigenous students in Mataranka, Northern Territory, Australia, by addressing underlying social and educational factors.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The themes include the history of Indigenous Australians, the social determinants of health, an analysis of school attendance data, and the implementation of educational and anti-bullying campaigns.
What is the ultimate goal of the proposed health plan?
The primary goal is to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students in educational outcomes and overall life prospects by ensuring consistent school attendance.
What scientific methodology is utilized in this study?
The study relies on a demographic census analysis, empirical school attendance data from the Northern Territory, and behavioral surveys using the THRIVE online questionnaire tool.
What core topics are addressed in the main body?
The main body examines school factors (curriculum quality), family and socio-economic factors (alcohol, mobility), and environmental factors that affect Indigenous student retention and attendance.
Which keywords best describe this work?
Key terms include Indigenous education, school attendance, social determinants of health, and community-based health promotion strategies.
How does the author propose to restructure class subjects?
The author suggests incorporating practical field studies in science and math, utilizing the local natural environment, and introducing Aboriginal Culture and Philosophy into the curriculum.
How does the paper propose to handle the high rates of alcohol consumption?
The plan suggests implementing anti-drinking campaigns that emphasize the connection between parental health and student wellbeing, supported by organizations such as DrinkWise and the NHMRC.
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- Elo Q. Paradise (Autor:in), 2020, Possible Public Health approaches to increase the School Attendance Rate of Indigenous students in Mataranka, Northern Territory, Australia, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1003205
