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Rural and Remote Education - Qld

Rural

and Remote Education - Qld

Meeting with teachers at Normanton

School, 5 October 1999 - notes

The meeting was attended

by approximately 15 teachers and members of the school staff. From HREOC:

Chris Sidoti, Human Rights Commissioner; Lady Pearl Logan, Queensland

Co-Commissioner; and two Commission staff.

School attendance

"School attendance

is an issue of concern in Normanton. On an average day approximately 75%

of the students are in attendance."

"Attendance strategies

include one of the teachers taking responsibility for visiting homes to

follow up those children who have been absent from school without explanation."

"Home visits have

indicated that a significant number of parents think that their children

are at school when they are not."

Students with special

needs

"The school receives

departmental support in dealing with student problems. An officer of the

Education Department visits the school twice each term to discuss issues.

She is also contactable between visits by phone and fax. While she does

her best, she is not at the school long enough to have proper talks with

students, parents and teachers. We have to share her with eight other

schools so this limits the amount of attention she can give us."

"Support for students

with disabilities is also very limited. A mental health specialist visits

the school only once a year or if there is a serious matter that requires

immediate attention."

"Speech therapists

and other medical professionals are also very scarce."

TAFE

"There is a TAFE

College in Normanton. We would like to have much closer links with TAFE.

However, under its central charter, TAFE is basically run as a business.

Any support they provide must be given in that context. They have indicated

that they would like to do more for us but if it does not fit within their

business criteria they are unable to help us."

"A new director has

recently been appointed at the local TAFE. He seems like a very committed

individual and we are hopeful that we will be able to work closely with

him. At present he is seeking to secure resources and get more teachers

in. He said he hopes to establish more programs for disadvantaged young

people in the local area."

Teacher conditions

and support

"The conditions and

the support for teachers who come to places like Normanton is far from

adequate."

"First year teachers

who come here have no idea what they are getting themselves into. Many

of them find it very hard to cope."

"The financial bonuses

for teachers who work in remote areas are not as attractive as they seem.

The bonus averages around $4,000 but after tax it is only around $1,800."

"The high cost of

airfares to and from Normanton also makes the financial benefits for teachers

more illusory than real. For example, a return airfare to Cairns costs

$589."

"Teacher housing

in Normanton is very unsatisfactory. The properties are not well-maintained.

It is very difficult to get the right tradespeople to do the work needed."

"Teacher housing

is also very scarce. Available housing stock is always full. Teachers

often end up having to share with other people. At present there is a

new teacher and we don't have a house for him."

"Because it is very

difficult to accommodate people with families, we tend to get younger,

less experienced teachers."

"No matter how much

money they give you to live here, it doesn't make your life any happier

if you have to share a home with someone you don't really get along with."

"Teachers come to

Normanton not prepared for the fact they will have large classes with

many children who cannot read or write."

"It's not just a

question of more money for teachers. It's about training them in what

to expect and how to cope and providing them with appropriate support

when they get here."

"I don't think any

of us felt properly supported when we first came to Normanton."

Sport

"There is a lack

of community based club sport for young people in Normanton and other

remote communities in the Gulf area of Queensland. This is regrettable

because club sport has traditionally played an important role in children's

development. It helps them develop qualities such as teamwork, goal-setting,

self-discipline, respect and social skills.

"There is a need

for creative strategies to overcome this problem. One strategy could be

to establish fully equipped sport institutes in a number of remote communities,

including Normanton. The institutes would employ qualified instructors

to provide training for young people in a range of sporting disciplines.

To cater for children outside the immediate area, training modules could

be developed involving intensive 3-4 day training camps. The institutes,

while being open to all children in the relevant communities, would also

provide a pathway for those with special talents to proceed to State titles."

[The above model

is set out in more detail in a written submission to the inquiry.]

Last

updated 2 December 2001.