7δ
Some were anxious about the problems of white back-lash
associated with aid given to Aborigines, and were hesitant about
singling out Aborigines for any special attention.
Others upheld a view of Australian society that precluded
identification of a student as -a member of any ethnic group.
•To summarise, there was a reluctance in some situations for personnel
to identify Aboriginal students in any way that might be observed by
others.
This resulted in certain limitations which will be discussed
1
fully below √ On the other hand, this limitation had the positive
effect of providing insights concerning non-Aboriginal theorising
about Aboriginal identity.
7.24 Size of population
Keeves (1982:172) stated that in 198], for all South Australia,
there were only 33 Aboriginal students undertaking studies at year 12
level at a standard which would permit them (when, and if, studies were
completed successfully) to proceed to a post-secondary institution.
He found that only 35 per cent of Aboriginal students proceeded to
Year 11, compared with 77 per cent of the general population.
2
The numbers of Aboriginal students in total is not large .
At any one school the numbers will be small.
However, the smallness of numbers is part of the Aboriginal
b-
social reality and must be accepted as a major constraint.
1See, Chapter XIX, p. 325-326.
2Appendix III,p.505,gives the school enrolments for Aborigines for 1980.
