Meeting with Lower Gulf Campus of Mt Isa TAFE, 5 October 1999 - notes
The meeting was attended by the new Director of the Lower Gulf Campus of Mt Isa TAFE, Mr Ross Wilson, and several members of his staff. From HREOC: Chris Sidoti, Human Rights Commissioner; Lady Pearl Logan, Queensland Co-Commissioner; and two Commission staff.
Background
The Lower Gulf Campus of the Mt Isa Institute of TAFE is located at Normanton. It services the communities of the Lower Gulf Region of Queensland including Croydon, Normanton, Karumba, Mornington Island and Burketown.
The Lower Gulf Campus has provided vocational training to the region since 1994. It provides traditional apprenticeships as well as short to medium traineeships. Courses have been provided in computing, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, visual arts, tourism and hospitality, rural studies, mining, child care, engineering and business studies.
Discussion
Commissioner Sidoti noted that the inquiry has observed strong variations between different parts of Australia in the degree of partnership and co-operation between the school system and TAFE colleges. Mr Wilson acknowledged the potential for the TAFE and school systems to work together more closely, with some TAFE facilities being made available to schools or for joint projects.
One of the possibilities discussed was for TAFE to develop a role as a supervisor or mentor for children undertaking distance education. It was noted that quite a few remote children who go to boarding school have difficulty coping, so they return to their communities with distance education being their only schooling option. Sometimes parents feel inadequate to provide the support and supervision the students need. In these circumstances some assistance from TAFE would be invaluable. Mr Wilson agreed that this was a good idea. He said as well as providing support itself TAFE could also facilitate mutual support among students and parents by giving them a place to meet and discuss issues.
Mr Ross also indicated that he would be happy to meet with the school at Normanton and to brief those Year 10 students considering leaving school on the options available to them through TAFE. The students could also visit the campus to see the facilities it offers. He said he regarded this as an important part of his role.
Mr Wilson took the inquiry team on a tour of the campus. Commissioners Sidoti and Logan commented on the very high standard of the facilities.
Mr Wilson and his colleagues described some of the programs run at the Lower Gulf Campus and some of the issues faced in the delivery of quality remote education.
"One of our more innovative courses is the current 'Caring For Our Own Country' program that commenced this year. This is a landcare program for Indigenous people that combines environmental, agricultural and cultural issues. The course is useful for people contemplating careers as park rangers or in tourism and a range of other fields."
"We have great facilities here but it is very hard to attract staff."
"The last time we had a carpentry teacher here was in 1997."
"Our workshops and other facilities are very under-utilised."
"We are trying to get more local and Indigenous people involved in TAFE programs."
"Accommodation for residential courses at the College is a big problem. Accommodation here is very scarce. We have all the facilities here but nowhere for students and teachers to live."
"We are now giving more priority to going out to surrounding communities like Doomadgee, running courses for people in their own environment. In doing this we work with people of all ages including community elders."
"One of the reasons why young people are not always attracted to TAFE is that they see it as a continuation of the regimented and structured school system they have experienced in the past. Some of them are keen to get away from that ethic. The Lower Gulf Campus is trying to break down these perceptions by giving greater emphasis to programs based in communities or out in the field rather than in a 'school' environment."
"Training programs generally require certain numbers in order to be economically viable. This is one of the main obstacles we encounter in trying to get new courses up and running. In small remote communities it is inevitable that numbers for particular courses will often be very small."
"Funding is a constant problem. Running courses in remote areas can be very expensive. The cost of flying people to and from courses is very high. For courses based in communities outside the campus, the cost of airfreighting facilities to the community is also very high."
Last updated 2 December 2001.
