Media Release

Rural Education Report - The impact of drought on secondary education access in Australia's rural and remote areas

10 March 2006

What drought can do to a kid’s education

A recently released report entitled: The impact of drought on secondary education access in Australia’s rural and remote areas: a report to DEST and the Rural Education Program of FRRR was needed because of the paucity of literature on how drought could affect the education of children.

FRRR’s Rural Education Program set about redressing this and, with a grant from the Commonwealth Dept of Education Science and Training, they commissioned Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, to undertake research into the issue.

Professor Margaret Alston and Dr Jenny Kent hit the road last year, working in five communities and surrounding areas. These were Cohuna and Kerang in Victoria, Hay, Balranald and Cootamundra in New South Wales and Longreach and Blackall in Queensland. They heard stories that made them weep and others that inspired.

The study is primarily of a qualitative nature, conveying personal stories, professional observations and information of relevant policies and practices. It draws together common experiences of the wide range of people involved in rural education.

The overriding message from the research was that while much is being done there are students missing out, because of the pressures from drought on themselves and their families. Often young people had to make some stark choices that may affect their aspirations for the rest of their lives. Country people are often reticent about seeking help and children will often choose to fail school rather than put their parents through the anguish of paying for education.

A story from a Queensland parent states “My husband actually went away working from October to March this year and when he was away it was me. The kids were out doing the feeding and the watering … we were running the fence lines that needed to be checked… We’re doing what we can without employing anyone. …[and he went away] purely to get education money.”

The purpose of the report and its findings are to inform the Rural Education Program, governments at all levels, and other interested parties about the needs and to suggest achievable ways to redress the additional burden that drought places on children who are already geographically and socially isolated.

Prof. Margaret Alston of Charles Sturt University on 0418 242 856 or Sylvia Admans of FRRR on 0419 921 054. Copies of the report are available on request at info@frrr.org.au .