Fact Sheet 13, National Rural Health Alliance, May 2009

Education is a significant determinant of an individual’s health. As well as providing knowledge and skills, effective rural schooling provides a firm base for further education and career choice.

Chief among the challenges in rural education are attracting and retaining qualified staff, improving school transport services, and supporting community development and cohesion.

There are many achievements to celebrate in rural education but a number of issues need to be addressed to ensure that quality schooling remains a reality for children and young people in rural and remote Australia. Rural schools have provided generations of children and young people with knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to become autonomous, responsible and productive citizens.

Schools play a vital role in developing and sustaining rural communities and are crucial to Australia’s sustainability.

For many families in rural Australia, accessing quality education in the local area is becoming increasingly difficult. There are many reasons for this, including major changes to the demographics of rural Australia, ongoing school consolidations and closures, and a belief that cities and large regional centres are “where you have to go” in order to receive a quality education.

In 1999-2000 the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) conducted a National Inquiry into Rural and Remote Education in Australia.

Following HREOC’s report, the Ministerial Council for Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA), Australia’s peak education policy body, approved a National Framework for Rural and Remote Education. It sets out the essentials for ensuring quality education is available, accessible, affordable, acceptable and adaptable.

Details are at: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/rural_file.pdf

Read more: http://nrha.ruralhealth.org.au/cms/uploads/factsheets/fact-sheet-13-rural-schooling.pdf