Differences In Education Between The Blacks And The Whites - Research Paper Example

Differences in Education Between the Blacks and the Whites In the current world, the importance of education cannot be overemphasized. Right to education is considered as one of the fundamental rights that every individual across the globe ought to be entitled. As a result, there have been various policies, as well as reforms that have been advocated so as to improve education and foster economic capacity. All these efforts are an acknowledgement of the existent education. In the world, the disparities in education have been between the whites and the black communities. As such, the dominant education policies and debates pertaining to improvement of education have focused on curbing the disparities between the two groups. “Our hope is decidedly in children; and the complete success as far as regards their education and civilizations would be before us, if possible to remove them from the influences of parents” (Moorhouse 96). This paper explores the inequalities the outcomes of contemporary education among the blacks and whites, in relation to historical practices, policies and approaches. Moorhouse connotes to the fact that the disparities in education between the two is particularly profound that it requires long-term dedication to overcome (Moorhouse 78). The appropriate of transforming the society would start by imparting the change on children of the blacks with the expectations that this would solve the disparities in the future. Thus, the investment to curb disparities should be channeled to the education of children from the blacks people. Indeed, it is agreeable that there have been disparities between the whites and the blacks groups for quite some time. These disparities have been described as the legacy of colonialism. Colonization processes are associated with profound consequences on the colonized societies. These have been witnessed in various societies. For instance, colonization saw Africa evolve in various ways, shunning their social, cultural and political culture to adopt new ways of living. In the same way, in Australia, colonization has seen aboriginal societies transform in various ways. Such transformation, which have been are as a result of colonialism, are what may be simply summed as legacies of colonization. The responses of the aboriginal people to the legacies of colonization can be best elucidated in terms of social, economic and political positions. One way in which to ascertain social changes is by focusing on the transformations on the families, as a basic social unit. Indeed, in the industrial, as well as a post-industrial society, most scientists, sociologists and anthropologists have inclined focused on family units. The legacies of colonialism have imparted various changes on the blacks families. The colonial legacies have not only seen blacks families transform in the structural sense, but also in the way the aboriginal families have to play the roles. Despite the fact that colonial legacies have been widely appraised for being associated with positive developments, this is nonetheless so for the case of blacks communities. Colonization has been cited as the most powerful forces that destroyed the lives of the blacks communities in the world (Boyes77). Waves of violence that broke out in the frontiers saw many blacks people dispossessed, as well as traumatized. Colonial legislations displaced black people from the reserves, separated husbands and wives, as well as separated children from their families. It is this form of dispossession that saw cultural relationships destroyed and land dispossessed. These developments also saw the black communities detached from the political processes and economic and religious autonomy. The colonial systems ended up forbidding rites of passage, and imposed other rules that saw the black people lose freedom. Men and women from the black communities have been raised ion environments filled with trauma, violence, low-self esteem, role confusion and substance and drug abuse. On the other hand, the impact of colonization on youthful generation and children to the black communities is also profound. The process of colonization saw children suffer from the cultural fragmentation and poverty. The eventuality is that the black communities were left to depend on the all that was offered by the colonial systems. These ranged from education, economic support, education, religion, legal issues, health and political systems (Economic and Statistical Research Report 91). The consequences of such steps are what have turned out particularly profound, in the downstream. Indeed, most black communities are considered marginalized. Colonial legacies, which now come in the form of government policies, have seen individuals disperse from the tribal and clan inclinations. The eventuality of this has been the continuous fragmentation of the cultures belonging to the black people. There have been concerns that the fragmentation of culture and the struggle to adapt to the new way of life has been accompanied by social, as well as economic instability. As such, the disintegration of values of the family, as well as culture has been accompanied by the criminal and other forms of behaviors that are regarded as antisocial. This is evidenced from the fact that the black communities are over-represented in prisons, and this is what has been the issue of great concern as far as equality is concerned. Intriguing is that most of the individuals in the jails are male (Human Rights Equal opportunity Commission 99). This way, it can also be inferred that most black inmates are fathers. Putting into consideration the pivotal roles that the fathers hold, it can be argued that the incarcerations of the minority are an addition to another dimension of the black family fragmentation. Nevertheless, the incarcerations do not heighten fragmentation of the black family and community culture, but it also have an impact on the male role models that is pivotal for the development of the children born to the black communities. Moreover, culture has been perceived as being dynamic. In this regard, there are various cultural aspects that black communities have been shedding off in adoption of new ones. These have been felt in terms of language erosion. It is arguable that there were various clan groups in the traditional black society. However, as time goes by and as the new generations come, the different clan groupings that existed before are no longer existent. In the traditional black community settings, men and women were considered independent but were connected. The roles were subject to gender, as well as the age. Extended family bonds were relatively strong. However, colonization legacy has seen all these aspects transform dramatically. Strait Islanders and the black groups that are particularly disadvantaged compared to other white groups (Torres Islander Advisory Board 87). All these can be well evidenced in terms of housing, health, education, contract with the judicial systems and employment. These disparities stem from colonialism, as well as government policies that followed. The loss of land is rated as one of the changes that bred the current disparities. The loss of land is associated with the disintegration of the spiritual, economic and cultural basis of the black communities. Colonialism saw most of the black communities moved to mission and reserves, where there lives were regulated by the government until 1970s. This move saw the black communities continue depending on the government, instead of participating (Singe 67). Historically, education among the black communities was community-based. Learning, sharing and teaching were intrinsic of their cultures. The situation continues to prevail even today. Colonization was followed by the feeling that the black communities were inferior and needed to be transformed. As of 1948, the Board of National Education issued a report that it was impractical to offer education to the indigenous communities. In 1883, the children of the black communities would still be barred from attending schools with white children. Such a form of regulation continued to be in practice for over a hundred years. Indeed, it was not until 1972 that such discriminating policies, which were referred to as the White Australian Policies, were discarded (black and Torres Strait Islanders Advisory Board 57). The abolition of the policies saw various schools set up in the reserves. However, the schools were equipped with untrained staff. Moreover, the children of the black communities were only offered education up to the Grade three Primary levels, a practice that continued until 1938. The working conditions of the teachers working in black education leave a lot to desire. In spite of various policies, and programs that are targeted at meeting the objectives in line education prospects, the educational situation of the black people was unsatisfactory. It was at the time that that assimilation was adopted as the national policy, when education was perceived as an ultimate way of assimilating the black communities into the white society. However, children from the black communities did not enroll to regular education until 1950s. Secondary schools were only introduced in 1960s. Nevertheless, the education policies that were adopted have rated as ineffective. Even the moves of the education programs have only been rated as successful but not effective checking education disparities created by the colonial legacies (Clayton & Mecurio 68). Perhaps what has been another setback has been the otidis media, which is an ear defect that impedes hearing. A survey by Inner Sydney carried out in 1989 established that as significant as 90 percent of the black community students had been affected by the hearing complication. However, after the discovery, there were various approaches that were taken to remedy the situation. As from 1970s, AECG was founded to lobby for appropriate education to suit the black communities. AECG was successful at lobbying for the employment of black assistants, as well as the increase in the enrolment of the black student in schools. Other achievement that may be considered worth celebrating was the formation of partnership between Department of Training and Education and AECG, which is believed to have significantly improved the enrolment of the black people (Singe, 45). The partnership was what necessitated the formulation of the black education policy. The policy was aimed at sensitizing the black communities on the importance of education, as well as developing education curricular inclusive of the culture of the black people. This was also aimed at revamping the education of the black people, ensuring the implementation of a reporting program for staff, students and black schools. NATSIEP, an education policy for the strait Islanders and the black people was formulated in 1990. Since its inception, the policy has offered supplementary funds for education for aboriginal students. In 2000, commonwealth founded a program to promote education of the indigenous people through aboriginal parent involvement. As from 1983, colleges and vocational training institutions were established to absorb the aboriginal students. These policies have seen the enrollment of black students increase significantly. Currently, tertiary institutions have black centers that give support and promote the education of the black students (black and Torres Straits Islanders Advisory Board 97). These approaches have been met with success, and only require additional time to have the disparities eliminated. As such, Moorhouse’s ideas can be considered as outright. There is something to smile about the changes in education for the black people. In the last 40 decades, the black education gained momentum when the First Nation recognized the need to have black education controlled by the Indian society. Since then, the black communities have been on the move by achieving various objectives aimed at improving the education needs while recognizing the necessity of maintaining and integrating the indigenous capacities, and values so as to conform to the social and economic conditions of the modern times (DEST 69). Considering that few black students attain satisfactory education, there are some measures that can put in place to ensure that they are not disadvantaged. These include ensuring that the teaching assistants are deployed among the indigenous so that they can provide education. Secondly, by providing enough teaching staff most people would be encouraged to join the schools. Furthermore, these teachers should be in position of teaching in the indigenous language so that they may avoid language barrier that may hinder the process. Additionally, media should set up the radio and television stations that will be able to air out education programs to the indigenous people. Government should be in position of financing the programs to avoid facing financial crises. Through this, majority will learn and discover a lot about challenges that they are facing. With time, adults shall start taking children to school and support. Moreover, the indigenous group should pick on knowledgeable people who will represent their views to the federal government. Electing some leaders who have knowledge about the indigenous people ensures that decision making skills are in line with the education requirements. Furthermore, the proper management should be put in place to ensure that indigenous people get satisfactory education. This management shall come up with proper policies that ensure black children attend schools. Through proper management more institutions can put in place. Indeed, these are some of the developments that various policies have heeded. In conclusion, the disparities between the blacks and whites in the world, in terms of education, stem from the colonial legacy. These disparities are so profound that they require a substantial amount of remediation time. The appropriate approach is to heed Moorhouse‘s approach. These changes must begin with the direction of investments towards education of the black people. Indeed, most education policies have heeded well. Despite the fact that these disparities are still existent, it is only a matter of time that they will be overcome. This is evidenced by the fact that the enrollment of the black students has drastically increased. It is expected that the disparities between the indigenous and the non-indigenous people will fade, as long as education embraces such an approach. Work Cited Black and Torres Strait Islander sAdvisory Board. The Impacts on Aboriginals and Torres Straits Islanders children When Fathers are Incarcerated. 2001. Retrieved on 15th June, 2012 Web < http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/pdf/publications/papers/discussion_paper_sml.pdf> Boyes, Mark. Patterns and Cultures of the Aboriginal People: Then and Now. Sydney: McGraw Hill.2003. Clayton, Lirst. & Mecurio, Arson. Imagining Themselves in the Future. Way Ville: SSABSA. 2001. Dest Roster. Achieving Equitable Outcomes: Indigenous Australians in Tertiary Education. DEST.2005. Economic and Statistical Research Report. Inmates with Indigenous decent. 2009. Retrieved on 15 June, 2012.Web . Commission of Human Rights Equal opportunity. Social Justice Reports. HREOC, Canberra.2001. Moorhouse, Mark. Protector of Aborigine in South Australia. Groome. 2001. Singe, Peter. The Torres: People and History. St. Lucia: University of Queensland.2000. Read More