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Devolution”: Self- Management for Territory Schools

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Devolution”: Self- Management for Territory Schools “DEVOLUTION”: SELF- MANAGEMENT FOR TERRITORY SCHOOLS C. A. CAMERON A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, Northern Territory University, for the degree of Master of Arts. March 1996 Copyright © 1996 Faculty of Arts, Northern Territory University This PDF has been automatically generated and though we try and keep as true to the original as possible, some formatting, page numbering and layout elements may have changed. Please report any problems to [email protected]. DECLARATION The work present in this thesis is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, original, except as acknowledged in the text. The material has not been submitted, either in whole or in part, for an award at this or any other university. C. A. CAMERON ABSTRACT Local self-management, popularly known as devolution, is a political initiative in English-speaking nations over the last couple of decades taken to promote community participation in education. In Australia, state and territory governments are responsible to provide public education services but with this policy they devolve decision-making, management and responsibility, as considered appropriate, to the local level. Functions that are devolved to be performed locally, in the school communities, are managed within parameters established by the governments and as directed, supported and monitored through arrangements made in their respective systems for these purposes. The policy of self-management in education has aroused contention. This has resulted primarily from a publicly perceived ‘rhetoric/reality gap’, wherein governments are seen to advocate ‘devolution’ as educationally beneficial for children but actually institute it as a cost-cutting strategy. Although acceptance has been widespread nonetheless and there is enthusiasm about the administrative advantages it offers, there is resentment where governments are considered to have been heavy-handed in handling its introduction. This has been the case in the Northern Territory, especially with growing enforcement of its acceptance from the mid-1980s. This dissertation is devoted to the NT experience: it provides background on the Territory and its education system; the substance of the policy is considered and a theoretical model against which to analyse it is devised; the development and implementation of the policy are traced; its impact in two Aboriginal communities is studied on an exploratory basis, a prerequisite for which is an introduction to education in remote Aboriginal NT; and the findings of the study are finally reconsidered, to identify emergent characteristics, advisable direction with the policy and any need for further research. It gives the NT Government substantial feedback on a major policy initiative in public education. A fuller study of the impact of ‘devolution’ across the Territory could use this thesis as its base. Table of Contents ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................ viii PREFACE .............................................................................................................. xii Chapter 1 - Self-Management In NT Education: A Policy Issue ................................... 1 THE TERRITORY EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE ............................................. 2 THE ABORIGINAL DIMENSION .................................................................... 5 THE POLICY ISSUE ....................................................................................... 7 A MODEL FOR ANALYSIS OF THE POLICY ................................................. 9 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND THE THESIS ........................................ 17 Chapter 2 - Local Self-Management in Public Education ........................................... 22 OVERVIEW ................................................................................................... 22 EDUCATION ................................................................................................. 22 PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ............................................ 23 SCHOOL COUNCILS AND ‘DEVOLUTION’ IN AUSTRALIA ...................... 28 A SELF-MANAGING PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMUNITY IN AUSTRALIA .................................................................................................. 36 Chapter 3 - The Northern Territory Education Setting ................................................ 42 THE POLICY ENVIRONMENT ..................................................................... 42 Government and Politics .......................................................................... 42 Territory Demography in the 1990s .......................................................... 45 The NT Cultural Environment in the 1990s .............................................. 51 THE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT ............................................................. 54 Canberra Management, 1973–79 .............................................................. 54 Darwin Management, 1979–96. ................................................................ 55 The Structure of the System in the 1990s ................................................. 59 Relationships in the NT Education System in the 1990s ............................. 63 Chapter 4 - Policy on Self-Management in the Territory ............................................ 67 THE POLICY SCENARIO .............................................................................. 67 The Issue and the Stakeholders ................................................................ 71 The Consumer-Supplier Relationship ........................................................ 78 DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLICY ............................................................... 81 Stage 1, 1973–9. ..................................................................................... 85 Stage 2, 1977–83. ................................................................................... 89 Stage 3, 1983–87. ................................................................................... 92 Stage 4, 1987–1991. ................................................................................ 94 Stage 5, 1991–92. ................................................................................... 98 Stage 6, 1993–… .................................................................................. 104 Chapter 5 - Education In NT Aboriginal Communities ............................................. 111 iv THEMES AND CONCEPTS IN ABORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT ................. 115 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT .................................................................. 118 EDUCATION SERVICES IN NT ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES ................. 123 LOCALLY MANAGED EDUCATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ...................................................................................................................... 133 WHAT IS EXPECTED OF EDUCATION IN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES? ......................................................................................... 138 Chapter 6 - Lessons From Maningrida And Gapuwiyak ........................................... 145 MANINGRIDA COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE ................................ 146 Community Participation ....................................................................... 147 Decision-Making ................................................................................... 149 Educational Outcomes ........................................................................... 151 Administrative Efficiency ...................................................................... 153 Re-ordering Priorities ............................................................................ 155 Community Awareness and Confidence .................................................. 157 Progress at Maningrida .......................................................................... 157 GAPUWIYAK COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE .................................. 159 Community Participation ....................................................................... 160 Decision-Making ................................................................................... 162 Educational Outcomes ........................................................................... 163 Administrative Efficiency ...................................................................... 166 Re-ordering Priorities ............................................................................ 166 Community Awareness and Confidence .................................................. 168 Progress at Gapuwiyak .......................................................................... 169 CONCLUSIONS FROM MANINGRIDA AND GAPUWIYAK ....................... 176 Chapter 7 - The Shape Of Self-Management In NT Education .................................. 179 CONSISTENCY AND DURABILITY ........................................................... 179 EFFECT IN REMOTE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES ................................ 181 THE CONGRUENCE OF THEORY AND PRACTICE ................................... 183 REVIEW TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS ................................................... 184 WHAT NEXT? ............................................................................................. 185 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................. 187 v List of Figures MAP OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY ............................................................. xiv FIGURE 1.1 A DYNAMIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ..........................
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