Key national and territory Indigenous bodies are "deeply concerned" over the new NT government's approach to increasing school engagement and attendance, and have noted an alarming decrease in the number of First Nations teachers in NT schools.

The Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APO NT), National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Corporation (NATSIEC), and the National Indigenous Youth Education Coalition (NIYEC) noted in a joint statement on on Tuesday that improving educational outcomes is a priority, and requires an evidence-based approach to addressing the factors that impact on engagement and attendance.

NATSIEC chief executive Sharon Davis, APO NT general manager Nicole Hucks and NIYEC chief executive Hayley McQuire said the move to bring back truancy officers and the announcement of 21 Student Attendance Officers (SAOs) who will focus on compliance action against parents and guardians of school age children will "disproportionality and detrimentally impact Aboriginal students and families".

"The introduction of these 21 SAOs is expensive at $1.85M per annum, duplicating the 36 'Student Engagement Advisors' (SEAs) currently employed by the NT Department of Education and Training," they noted.

"SAOs, like the SEAs, will be authorised to issue compliance and infringement notices including $370 fines for parents who fail to send their children to school. This approach reduces the complex factors impacting Aboriginal student attendance in the NT to a simplistic notion of "parental responsibility", and ignores the broader systemic and structural challenges faced by NT students and their families."

The key groups warned that the SAOs and their authorised functions risk placing additional pressure on Aboriginal families and communities already managing the impacts of intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, economic inequality, and a lack of culturally meaningful education.

The number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander teachers in NT schools decreased from 260 in 2023 to 163 in 2024, comprising less than four per cent of all NT teachers. This decline contrasts with the increasing enrolments of Aboriginal students, who represent approximately 40 per cent of NT students. The peak bodies noted this is an important factor to consider in any approach to the long-standing issue of Aboriginal student engagement and attendance.

Other factors revealed by the evidence include the long-lasting impact of the COVID pandemic and teacher turnover and shortages.

The NT Education Union has highlighted that decreasing school attendance could have "devastating" wider consequences.

The peak bodies also cited the recent NT Office of the Children's Commissioner's "It's up to EVERYONE to call it out" report which highlights the damaging role racism plays in student disengagement, identifying schools as a key site where Aboriginal students frequently experience racism.

APO NT, supported by NIYEC and NATSIEC, urged the NT government to commit to a partnership approach.

"This ensures programs and services aiming to improve engagement and attendance are developed collaboratively and focus on culturally safe, supportive, engaging and meaningful educational environments," they said.

The groups said the National Partnership on Closing the Gap and its four priority reforms should inform the NT government on programs and services with jurisdictional commitments under Closing the Gap, as well as the Mparntwe Declaration and the Everyone Together Aboriginal Affairs Strategy.

They encouraged the NT government to embrace three critical first steps: a formal independent evaluation of the SAO program implementation and assessment of attendance outcomes achieved; work in partnership with APO NT and its Aboriginal Education Steering Committee, which represents nine regions across the NT, to co-design community-led solutions; and develop effective community support frameworks for SAOs, ensuring they are well-resourced and guided by local knowledge and cultural expertise.

"We stand ready to work together to build strong partnerships that foster better outcomes for NT Aboriginal students, their families, and their communities," the groups said.

National Indigenous Times has contacted the NT Minister for Education Jo Hersey for comment.