Isolated Children's Parents' Association
Qld Inc
Media Release
October 16, 2011
Rural families push for better education outcomes for rural students
More than 250 people from rural and remote areas of Queensland concerned about their children’s education gathered at the Rockhampton Grammar School for The Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Queensland (ICPA) annual state conference held on 13 and 14 October.
Current issues include the Year 7 move into secondary, small school sustainability, students with special learning needs, including dyslexia, challenges of implementing the Australian curriculum in small schools and Schools of Distance Education in 2012, the potential loss of access programs with the abolition of the Priority Country Area Program, inequitable access to broadband through the National Broadband Network (NBN), attraction and retention of quality teachers, pre-service education and practicum and the widening gap between allowances and boarding school fees.
Incoming president Andrew Pegler said it was imperative schools in rural areas were not disadvantaged because of insufficient funding allocated to ensure a smooth transition period and the successful on-going sustainability of government reforms.
“Commonwealth Grants Commission data assesses the amount of funding each state will require for its educational needs, and funds are apportioned on this basis,” he said.
“At no stage in the past decade has Queensland’s spending on government schools met the Grant’s Commission assessed expenditure levels.
“Queensland is the only state for which this is the case. In the 2008/09 financial year the deficit was $336m in Queensland.” He said all proposed future changes must be fully funded.
“Our students’ learning outcomes will only improve if schools and school staff are adequately supported and resourced.
Conference convenor Trudy Mace said delegates representing more than 1120 rural families discussed concerns about all aspects of education from small schools, independent schools, boarding schools, Prep to tertiary education, TAFE, agricultural college and all methods used to facilitate access to education and services.
Guests included representatives from Education Queensland, the Education Shadow Minister, boarding schools, small schools and schools of distance education.