ABORIGINAL EDUCATION

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (16:45): My question is directed to the Minister for Education and Children's Services. What progress has been made with the education of Aboriginal students in South Australia?

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education and Children's Services, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (16:45): I thank the member for Florey for her ongoing interest and commitment to Aboriginal youth and students in South Australia. I am very pleased to inform the house that in 2007 we saw record numbers of Aboriginal students complete SACE and also become involved in the Premier's Reading Challenge.

As members would know, South Australia has a range of programs to support Aboriginal children, starting in kindergarten where children of indigenous background are allowed to go to preschool from the age of three and therefore get an extra year of preschool. Last year, there were 1,097 Aboriginal children enrolled in preschool, a slight increase compared to the year before, when it was only 1,057. An early start in life certainly helps young people to get literacy and numeracy as well as gain confidence and self-esteem, and we encourage all children to go to preschool because of the important investment in their lives.

We were particularly pleased this year to have 2,264 Aboriginal children taking part in the Premier's Reading Challenge. In 2007, this amounted to a 27 per cent increase on the year before, a very significant increase, and was the result of the state government focusing on getting more Aboriginal children into this program, because we recognised the effect it had on literacy and numeracy, but also recognising that it paid off in a child's life by investing in their love of literacy and reading.

It is particularly noteworthy that this year we also had a record number of Aboriginal children complete SACE. In 2005, only 81 children completed their SACE. In 2006, we had gone up to 104 children, and last year, 2007, we reached 141 children completing their SACE.I would like to congratulate those students and also their families for the support they have been given. I encourage them to stick with their education through further education and traineeships and ongoing employment opportunities, because they have started a life of learning and made a truly good start.

I also congratulate teachers who have taken up the challenge of keeping young indigenous children in education. I point out that since 2005 the Department of Education and Children's Services has had a very focused strategy of increasing Aboriginal attainment. It is quite clear we have much more to do in closing the gap—there is much work to do—but I am pleased to say that the corner does seem to have been turned, and the results improve every year.

I congratulate all those members of staff and members of the department who have focused on the goals and targets. Just as the state's Strategic Plan has numerical targets, we have included targets for achievement in all our levels of education and we are heading in the right direction. I congratulate all those involved.