Government is forging ahead with plans to spend billions to improve conditions for indigenous people. I agree that education is the best way to go. But consider the following:
Some of the communities in which these indigenous people live are so remote from the hubs of civilization that education, delivered in their habitat will be useless. Here's why.
Think about what it would be like to be born and raised in a community so far from the general population that there is no exposure whatsoever to other races and cultures, no theaters to attend, no sports centers, no shopping malls, no decent living conditions, no ready access to health care and no industry by which to work and earn a living. What does a young man or woman raised in such an environment do with his/her life?
If they stay in their community there is nothing for them but to marry a local person and have babies and carry on in the same lifestyle as previous generations. If they leave and go where there might be opportunities of some kind, they will almost certainly face discrimination, abuse or find themselves unqualified for whatever positions are available. They will be like fish out of water.
I don't know how it came about that they were ever isolated in such remote locations. Perhaps many decades ago it was an acceptable existence they eked out there. But times have changed and it is no longer reasonable in today's world to expect people of those remote areas to be able to cope.
The only thing I can imagine that would bring about real positive change would be to shut down those locations and move the entire community to a location close to a hub of high population. Then provide modern, well equipped schools where they can get the kind of education and exposure to modern day lifestyles that is necessary.
School children need to be able to form athletic team and compete with each other. They need the opportunity to form a school band, a drama club, a debating team, take field trips. So much more than academics! What chance will the children of indigenous people have to form and compete in those activities in their present settings?
Some of the communities in which these indigenous people live are so remote from the hubs of civilization that education, delivered in their habitat will be useless. Here's why.
Think about what it would be like to be born and raised in a community so far from the general population that there is no exposure whatsoever to other races and cultures, no theaters to attend, no sports centers, no shopping malls, no decent living conditions, no ready access to health care and no industry by which to work and earn a living. What does a young man or woman raised in such an environment do with his/her life?
If they stay in their community there is nothing for them but to marry a local person and have babies and carry on in the same lifestyle as previous generations. If they leave and go where there might be opportunities of some kind, they will almost certainly face discrimination, abuse or find themselves unqualified for whatever positions are available. They will be like fish out of water.
I don't know how it came about that they were ever isolated in such remote locations. Perhaps many decades ago it was an acceptable existence they eked out there. But times have changed and it is no longer reasonable in today's world to expect people of those remote areas to be able to cope.
The only thing I can imagine that would bring about real positive change would be to shut down those locations and move the entire community to a location close to a hub of high population. Then provide modern, well equipped schools where they can get the kind of education and exposure to modern day lifestyles that is necessary.
School children need to be able to form athletic team and compete with each other. They need the opportunity to form a school band, a drama club, a debating team, take field trips. So much more than academics! What chance will the children of indigenous people have to form and compete in those activities in their present settings?
