The Isolated Children and Parents Association of Australia (ICPA) is urging both state and federal levels of government to take action to rectify the glaring issue of education inequality that continues to burden remote families across the country.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Danyelle Haigh exemplifies the harsh realities of education disparity. Having experienced seamless access to education while growing up on the Gold Coast, Qld, Ms Haigh now resides in the remote reaches of Anmatjere, Northern Territory.
Here, her two sons' pursuit of basic education necessitates a privately arranged tutor for home-schooling - an arrangement that comes at a significant financial cost.
"It's disheartening to construct our own classroom and governess quarters atop our mobile business just to ensure our children receive an education," Ms Haigh said.
"The financial burden of funding a tutor, internet connectivity, schooling materials, and intermittent in-school weeks weighs heavily on families already navigating a challenging remote lifestyle."
Access to education forms just one of the challenges endured by isolated families striving to educate their children.
In the impending academic year, Ms Haigh and her husband face the wrenching decision of sending their eldest son to boarding school - a financial commitment they had not initially foreseen.
The economic ramifications of this decision mean the family must intensify their efforts to secure reduced returns.
"We adhere to a stringent budget to maintain financial stability and avoid debt. Despite the stagnation in our business pricing since 2016, the increasing costs across the board have resulted in dwindling profits each year," Ms Haigh said.
In the remote north of South Australia, between Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta, Katy Hayes' family faces an agonising decision of their own.
With two children aged 11 and 7, they've called their station home since 2015 and it's their sole income but without access to affordable education, they may be forced to move to the regions.
Despite residing in South Australia, their nearest School of the Air, a distance education centre, is in Alice Springs.
As a result, they are ineligible for crucial NT Government Distance Education payments, leaving them with only the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) scheme, which does not cover the costs.
Each term brings in-school weeks, requiring their children to travel to Alice Springs for vital in-town learning and socialisation.
The expenses add up and a standard in-school week costs the Hayes family $214 more than the AIC payment provides. The financial strain extends outside of in-school weeks, to essential classroom supplies, educational aids, and other materials not covered by the AIC. These unaccounted-for expenses amount to thousands each year.
This family's commitment to educating their children has come at a personal cost, Ms Hayes has been limited to part-time work on the station. Full-time work would require hiring a tutor, adding, at minimum, $25,000 annually to their expenses.
As their eldest child approaches Year 7, the burden of boarding school costs looms large. With an estimated cost of $50,000 per student per year, the current AIC allowance falls significantly short. Their annual out-of-pocket expense would be approximately $38,604 per child.
Without significant scholarships, this family faces the agonising choice of leaving their station, industry, and community to ensure their children receive an education.
To address the rising costs, and to keep families on the farm, ICPA is calling for an increase in the basic boarding allowance. They are asking for an additional $4000 per year to cover, on average, 55 per cent of boarding fees.
This increase is not a luxury but an essential step to relieve the financial burden that families like this one face, ICPA federal president Louise Martin said.
"The very future of rural education is at stake. The increasing costs of educating our remote children are pushing families to their limits," Ms Martin said.
"The basic boarding allowance desperately needs an increase to alleviate this crippling financial burden and ensure equitable access to education for all Australian students.
"Reform is not a luxury; it's a necessity. We need substantial changes to bridge the gap between rural and urban education.
"We're calling for an immediate increase in the basic boarding allowance to cover a significant portion of boarding fees.
"Beyond that, a comprehensive overhaul is essential to ensure that every child, regardless of their geographic location, has equal opportunities and rights when it comes to accessing education."
The ICPA Federal Council is in Canberra this week to advocate the proposed increase to the basic boarding allowance as well as:
- An extension to the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) - Distance Education (DE) Allowance to 3-4 year-old geographically isolated children accessing an approved distance education early learning program in the year prior to their compulsory schooling.
- That the Federal Government implement a Distance Education Teaching Allowance (DETA) for geographically isolated distance education families.
ICPA has also set up a change.org petition live with nearly 2500 signatures to present to education and social services ministers as proof of the need for reform.
