The motivations of policymakers in First Nations education, Queensland

The motivations of policymakers in First Nations education, Queensland

For many years, researchers have explored the ongoing challenges related to First Nations educational policies in Australia, with much of the research focusing on the policy itself or policy implementation. This study investigated the motivations of policymakers involved in First Nations educational policy in Queensland. Drawing upon Indigenous Standpoint Theory and an Intersectional framework, this study uses the yarning method and thematic analysis to determine the motivations of policymakers in First Nations education, as well as the perspectives First Nations students and their families have of educational policy. The research includes a scoping literature review, followed by a thematic analysis of the yarns to determine common themes. The findings indicate that First Nations families are deeply critical of current educational policies and that current policies fail to adequately recognise and incorporate First Nations knowledge, perspectives and cultural values, leading to a sense of marginalisation and disempowerment among First Nations communities. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the First Nations policymakers are driven by a profound commitment to social justice, cultural responsiveness, and empowerment of marginalised communities – their motivation is rooted in a genuine desire to effect meaningful change and address systemic challenges within the education sector. The research provides a powerful critique of First Nations educational policies in Queensland from First Nations peoples and provides practical implications for policymakers, researchers and stakeholders, offering insights that can inform the development of a more effective and culturally responsive policy practice that can make a real difference to First Nations peoples in Queensland.