The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is committed to the Australian Government's target of reducing Indigenous disadvantage. This includes to halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy achievements for Indigenous children within a decade; and to halve the gap for Indigenous students in year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020.
Through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) all governments in Australia have agreed to a single set of objectives, outcomes and outputs (and hence educational priorities and reform directions for the education system) in order to deliver world class schooling for all children.
The Australian Government has set three major priorities for schooling reform:
- Raising the quality of teaching in our schools
- Ensuring all students are benefiting from the schooling they receive, especially in disadvantaged communities
- Improving the transparency and accountability of schools and school systems at all levels.
New funding arrangements in 2009 will provide school systems and authorities with greater flexibility to develop strategies that better respond to the individual needs of their Indigenous students and suit the circumstances of each school community to close the gaps in educational outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
In the longer term, the Government has committed to a comprehensive and transparent review of school funding. This review will conclude by 2011, ahead of the next funding period beginning in 2013.