Rural and Remote Education - Qld
Rural
and Remote Education - Qld
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.
