1965

Aboriginal Education Incentive Scholarship Fund

The Aboriginal Education Incentive Scholarship Fund was provided for primary school students and was made available through the Ministry of the Aboriginal Education Incentive Scholarship Fund (AEISF) Committee in 1965. The scheme was established after a meeting of secondary school and university committees who were concerned with education for Aboriginal students in Victoria. The fund aimed to "provide economic incentives to encourage Aboriginal students to remain in school beyond the school leaving age in order that they could qualify for a wider range of employment opportunities." (Delemos.1979) Initially, the scheme was established for the Framlingham people. In 1967, it was expanded to include students from other areas. In 1973, scholarships were awarded to 928 primary students. The scheme finished in 1974.

1966

Statistics relating to Aboriginal education in Victoria

Taken from Aboriginal Education. 1969. Edited by Tom Roper. Published by the National Union of Australian University students. These statistics are only estimates. They show the numbers of Koorie students in each of the four areas of study in 1966, and enable a comparison of these statistics at a later stage.

Enrolments 1966-1967

Pre-school	Primary	Secondary
60	500	243
University	Technical	Professional
0	4	0

Taken from Aboriginal Education. 1969. Edited by Tom Roper. These statistics are only estimates. They show the numbers of Koorie students in each of the four areas of study in 1966, and enable a comparison of these statistics at a later stage.

1967

1967 Referendum

Until the 1967 Referendum, each State and Territory government had the power to make any decision about the Aboriginal people in their States and Territories. The constitution discriminated against Aboriginal people and precluded the federal government from making policies in Aboriginal Affairs. The 1967 Referendum changed this by giving the Federal government the power to legislate on behalf of Aborigines. It also gave Aboriginal people the right to vote and to be counted in the Census. Over 90% of the voters, voted yes in the Referendum.

The Referendum was important to Aboriginal people all over Australia because it changed the inconsistent treatment of Aboriginal people within the States and Territories. The success of the referendum has also been important in the attitude change of non-Aboriginal people towards Indigenous Australians because it was "…. a watershed in Aboriginal Affairs It had the effect of granting a concurrent power to the Commonwealth to legislate for our people-a power previously held by the states alone-and enabled inclusion in the census" (Jones, Langton, 1988).

Secondary Schools Aboriginal Affairs Fund

The Secondary Schools Aboriginal Affairs Fund was established by secondary school students who established Co-ordinating committees in five zones in Melbourne where they could discuss Aboriginal Affairs and how they could contribute to it. The fund allowed schools to contribute money that would be held in its name and could be returned, if not used. Applications were made to the fund by any interested body. The Aboriginal Education Incentive Scholarship Fund made its administrative facilities available to the Secondary Schools Aboriginal Affairs Fund. The Secondary Schools Aboriginal Affairs Fund then allocated funding for activities that interested Aboriginal secondary students throughout Victoria, and identified schools for specific projects that could be funded.

1968

Aboriginal Study Grants Scheme

The first national scholarship scheme for Aborigines was the Aboriginal Study Grants Scheme. This was the beginning of an education scheme that, despite many changes, still exists with the same role fundamentally unchanged. The aim was to raise the educational, economic and social levels of Aboriginal people by assisting them to pursue particular courses of study after leaving school.

From the start of the 1969 academic year Aborigines became eligible to apply for Commonwealth study grants provided they could gain admission to approved courses at universities, colleges of advanced education, technical colleges, centres of vocational training and other appropriate institutions. When awarding grants, normally for full-time study, the Federal Minister for Education also took into account any other awards they held and the extent to which they were capable of benefiting from the courses. The ABSTUDY scheme is still operating today, despite the fact that there have been many changes to the original scheme.

1968-1975

Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs

The Victorian Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs was established in 1968 under the Aboriginal Affairs Act of 1967. Aboriginal people were encouraged to manage their own affairs through an established Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. There was also an Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Council established with six Aboriginal representatives elected by the Aboriginal community. All dealings with Aboriginal people, including education, were directed through the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs.

1969

Aboriginal Secondary School Enrolments in Victoria

Year	7	8	9	10	11	12	Ungrade	Total
1969	99	69	46	19	4	2	86	325
1970	130	98	85	51	21	5	0	390
1971	138	127	94	76	28	10	0	473
1972	123	130	144	80	51	5	0	533
1973	182	144	148	107	39	8	4	632
1974	166	189	130	98	45	10	2	640
1975	161	146	142	101	77	12	2	641
1976	186	176	143	95	44	18	2	664
1977	194	176	157	99	32	10	0	668

These statistics show a dramatic increase in the number of Koorie students in the secondary school system after the introduction of the Aboriginal Study Grants Scheme in 1967 and then the Aboriginal Secondary Grants Scheme in 1968. Year levels have been changed from Form 1-6 to Years to reflect the changes to these year levels.

Save the Children Fund Kindergartens

The Save The Children Fund, a world wide organisation was established in 1969 to assist children wherever there was a need, including in the area of medical care, nutrition and vocational training. In Australia, each State operated its own program, and in Victoria, they decided to establish kindergartens to cater for the needs of Aboriginal children as well as disadvantaged non-Aboriginal children, (20% being non-Aboriginal children and 80% Aboriginal children). These kindergartens were established at Mooroopna, Robinvale, Dareton and Nowa Nowa, and they included the provision of play groups, pre-school education, activities for youth, art and craft and welfare. The Centres at Mooroopna and Robinvale are still in operation.