Submissions
South Australian Government
This submission was coordinated by the SA Department of Education Training and Employment. It summarises three recent initiatives designed to improve education, care and training services in South Australia: the Country Services Directorate; Partnerships 21; and participation in a MCEETYA Taskforce. The submission then addresses each of the Inquiry's terms of reference separately. Reference is made throughout to the results of the Country Call consultations in which country South Australians were asked how they want to see their conditions improved.
The submission concludes with seven recommendations:
- That a three year
funded program be established to provide all rural and remote students
with access to laptop computer technology to support distance education,
face to face teaching and the development of IT skills and knowledge
comparable to students living in large metropolitan/ regional centres.
- That a program
be developed in collaboration with the states and territories and the
Commonwealth Government to plan and implement strategies in Vocational
Education and Training which improve access and participation for students
in rural and remote communities to facilities, courses and work placement
required to enable them to gain recognised industry qualifications.
- That the funding
for the current Country Areas Program (CAP) be substantially increased
to enable enhanced access by rural students to services and cultural
and sporting events in larger regional centres and cities.
- That a framework
be developed for education and welfare agencies to facilitate them working
collaboratively to improve the coordination of services which are targeted
at students with disabilities in country areas.
- That funding and
services to improve education outcomes for Aboriginal students continue
to be a priority and that a new initiative focussing on Aboriginal parents
as first teachers be developed to enhance literacy and numeracy achievements
for Aboriginal children to national standards by the completion of Year
3.
- That a nationally
based information and promotions strategy aimed at raising the profile
of country education and care, and which stimulates renewed interest
in and support for them by city and regionally based people be developed.
- That a nationally based Country Issues and Strategies Research Centre be established, focussing on education, care and related services.
South Australian Independent Schools Board
This submission covers the following major topics:
- Independent schools in rural areas of SA
- Country Areas Program
- Boarding
- Indigenous students
- Students with disabilities
- Information technology
- Transport assistance
Recommendations include that
- Commonwealth and State governments allocate additional resources to non-government schools that will ensure equitable and reliable access in rural, remote and metropolitan regions to information technology that can be used for educational and management purposes
- consideration be given by the Commonwealth to allocating specific funds for rural and remote students/schools in other Targeted Programs, eg Languages and Literacy
