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Rural and Remote Education - Qld

Rural

and Remote Education - Weipa

Notes of a meeting with secondary

students from Coonamble High School, NSW - 8 July 1999

Coonamble High School

students covered three broad topics and considered the same two questions

within each

  1. The high school:

    'good things we don't want to lose' and 'the main things that need to

    be improved or changed'.

  2. The town and its

    people: 'good things we don't want to lose' and 'the main things that

    need to be improved or changed'.

  3. Our options after

    leaving school: 'good things we don't want to lose' and 'the main things

    that need to be improved or changed'.

The high school:

good things

The quality of the

education which is high thanks to the subjects available and the teachers

(a couple of teachers were particularly singled out); there is a wide

range of sporting equipment (although students also said they need new

equipment); fun classes like dance and drama; the opportunity to visit

other towns and areas.

The high school

needing improvements and some suggestions

Students' attitudes

were described as too cheeky, making smart comments and they don't get

along with each other. "They need to keep the bad kids under control."

One student suggested that stricter discipline would help; another that

students should talk more together and work better together.

Books and a larger

library. The school library is deficient, run-down, with old books but

there is a good public library in Coonamble. Few students use the public

library.

Classrooms require

better quality air-conditioners and heating and also blinds or curtains.

They are very hot in summer and cold in winter. It's hard to concentrate.

Without blinds the sun comes in on people's eyes. There is also a need

for water bubblers in the school. The toilets need to be cleaned and maintained

better and soap should be provided. The canteen should provide better

food.

The students called

for more activities including discos at cheaper prices. And there was

also a suggestion that the uniform should be updated.

The town and its

people: good things

CDEP (Community Development

Employment Program for Indigenous people); clothes shops; the youth and

community centre; the hospital and doctors; the nursing home that looks

after older people; the great public library; our schools and teachers;

the range of sporting facilities such as ovals, netball courts and swimming

pool; the great range of supermarkets and the take-away shops and petrol

station; the child care centre for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal

children; the radio station which teaches both younger and older people

how to use the facilities provided (although it could do with more Aboriginal

content).

The town and its

people: things to be improved

"Coonamble needs

to improve more activities for the children because there is nothing to

do but sit on the streets. They need more entertainment (eg movies and

concerts)." The youth centre is too small and "is only open when they

feel like it". "It used to be open only from 9-5, closed on weekends and

closed at night, which isn't very useful for the kids."

"They need better

clothes shops and more shopping centres. Also a McDonald's, Red Rooster

or KFC." One student noted, however, that "there's not enough people to

keep them going".

"We need our own

basketball and sporting centre with gyms and a heated pool."

Options for the

future: good things

Current options within

Coonamble for school leavers include CDEP and the Aboriginal Land Council.

There are few apprenticeship opportunities.

Options for the

future: things to be improved

While the CDEP program

was appreciated there is a need for further skills-based training. Vocational

education should be extended to 10-15 year olds (at 16 many have already

left school and those remaining may be too old to benefit fully).

There is also a need

for job creation in the town and educated Indigenous people in the community.

"We need more jobs by improving the town." If there were more shops there

would be more jobs. The shops should hire Aboriginal people. "Give every

single person a good chance of getting a job so they don't get driven

out of Coonamble as a consequence of not having a job."

"We need a uni closer

to Coonamble - eg at Dubbo."

Last

updated 2 December 2001.