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Question on Notice
For 8th September 2009
For the Minister for
Education - Hon Jane Lomax-Smith MP
Is it Departmental policy for the closure of swimming pools in regional and
small country schools in South Australia and what assurances are there that
they will be maintained and remain open?
EDUCATION, RURAL AND
REGIONAL AREAS
15th July 2009
Mrs PENFOLD (Flinders)
(15:28): Today I bring the attention of the house to the grave
concerns that many country students and their families have in
accessing tertiary education and diminishing
opportunities, particularly following the federal Labor
government's changes to the youth allowance
criteria. I ask this Labor government to lobby their federal counterparts
and investigate and implement ways in which to
assist South Australia's country tertiary students to fulfil
their potential.
Families of rural and regional students are forced to pay for accommodation,
food and general costs to run a second household.
They have to find suitable accommodation—and the
operative word is 'suitable'. Parents need to know that their
children are safe. Students are
expected to learn how to live away from home without support
networks, transport themselves in unfamiliar
territory, do their own food shopping, cooking, cleaning and laundry,
attend university— an experience vastly different
from schooling—and try to get some part-time work
to supplement day-to-day living expenses—another
added stress with some very demanding uni courses.
It is no wonder that so many country students drop out of
tertiary studies because the stress and pressure
become too great.
By comparison, most young adults of city families do not face these problems
having the advantage, comfort and security of their family home surroundings
and usually already having a part-time job. Very little change happens for
them when accessing further education.
Country people are proud of their local schools and tertiary facilities
where they exist. However, choices are limited with a lack of appropriately
qualified teachers and lecturers, smaller numbers of subject choices and a
lack of mental and educational stimulation. Some subjects can be taught by
distance education. However, this, too, is limited because of poor and slow
internet access, poor or non-existent broadband services and the necessary
hardware and software.
Where tertiary institutions exist in some larger rural towns most students
still have to live away from home to attend them, so all the disadvantages
outlined still apply. Young people in rural and regional areas are often
overcome by the obstacles they have to face to gain a tertiary education,
hence do not even consider this avenue for their future. The recent changes
by the federal Labor government to the Independent Youth Allowance Scheme
will strengthen this perception and negative outcome on tertiary education
access by country students.
Until now
students have been able to defer chosen university studies for a year while
they work in order to qualify for youth allowance. However, uni courses can
be deferred only for one year, and the proposed changes will not now enable
students to defer studies to save enough money. Eventually, there will be a
less educated substructure in rural and regional areas, with people less
able to accept advances in technology and general knowledge. On the
flipside, country students gaining tertiary degrees are more likely to
return to country practice than students who have always lived in the city.
Without these students returning to regions fully qualified, eventually
there will be an even greater shortage of health, education, environment and
other professionals, adding to the downward spiral of the quality of life in
rural and regional Australia. Students are unlikely to enrol in tertiary
courses where they do not see tertiary education as a positive future for
them. When the obstacles become too great and/or parents are unable to
support their children living away from home to access tertiary study,
enrolments will drop with more negative broad-ranging effects.
Changes in the Independent Youth Allowance rules make it almost impossible
for rural and regional students to fulfil their requirements to be classed
as 'independent' and qualify for financial assistance. If someone has spent
two years in a job (as proposed changes to the allowance would necessitate
for the person to qualify for assistance) it is even more unlikely that he
or she would then relocate to study. The momentum to again become a student
is reduced when the person is faced with loss of income, dislocation from
their community and breaking commitments to families and friends.
Country students also have fewer opportunities to socialise and to develop
interactive social skills, and they have fewer prospects or exposure to gain
interest in the wide variety of occupations and professions that are
available. No only are they destined to poorer education but also reduced
health, higher suicides and a lower life expectancy—particularly for
men—than their city- based counterparts. Rural and regional communities
require qualified workers, professionals and tradespeople. A reduction in
tertiary-qualified people able and willing to work in the country lowers the
quality of life in rural and regional areas and affects the capacity
of the whole state.
Australia needs people populating rural and regional areas, and those people
and their children should not be disadvantaged because they do not live in
metropolitan areas. I urge this Labor government to be proactive in its
assistance to help our young people take advantage of the educational
facilities predominantly located in Adelaide to fulfil their considerable
potential.
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