Rural and Remote Education Inquiry Briefing Paper
Rural and Remote
Education Inquiry Briefing Paper
11. Travel
Overview
There are few concessions
for the additional time and cost of travel for rural and remote teaching
staff. Unsealed roads and distances between communities mean that teachers
carry the financial burden of petrol costs and car maintenance. Cars are
not provided to teaching staff in rural and remote Australia. The need
to travel large distances to access professional development is not adequately
funded by education departments (Tomlinson 1994).
Developing
and sustaining contact that aids professional growth between and within
the schools, we find, is very expensive. This afternoon we'll go to Alice
Springs; we have a school in Alice Springs and a school at Santa Teresa,
so just to get there costs me $1,000 plus whatever accommodation. I've
got to hire a four-wheel drive to get out to Santa Teresa. These sorts
of costs are very difficult to deal with (Bill Griffiths, Director
of Catholic Education (NT), Darwin public hearing, 10 May 1999).
Training and
development activities are limited, and when available, often come at
considerable cost in terms of travel and accommodation. Teachers are
keen to improve their skills, and will make the effort to access training
where they can (Submission 48, Dorrigo High School, NSW).
Last
updated 2 December 2001.