Truss announces Coalition’s $1 billion Regional Education Fund
19th June, 2010
A new Coalition government will create a $1 billion Regional Education Fund, to be used to bridge the education gap and address the issues which lead to under-achievement in the regions.This new funding is above and beyond existing money provided for regional education and is a very positive step for students and their families.
“No matter where you live, you or your children should be able to access the best possible education,” the Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss, told The Nationals’ 90th Anniversary Federal Conference today.
“This Fund will be used to invest in 21st century education and communication tools to improve learning opportunities in the regions, and programs like encouraging quality teachers to move and stay in regional and remote schools.
“The Fund will support capital investment in regional universities, as well as initiatives by universities, especially regional universities, to offer innovative educational opportunities for country students and to provide extra material support for students who need to move to obtain their higher education.”
The Coalition believes school principals should be able to lead and their school councils accountable and able to manage their funding responsibility.
“We will encourage creativity, problem solving and teamwork while retaining a core emphasis on numeracy and literacy. We will provide students with the skill sets that employers need. We will educate country students to be the professionals that regional communities need.
“We know that Australia’s geography and demography pose heavy challenges for regional families, especially as they move beyond the rich and educational experience offered by country schools to secondary or tertiary education in the larger cities.
“Students from regional areas are less likely to finish Year 12 than their metropolitan counterparts, and are significantly under-represented in tertiary education.
“They are so much less likely to achieve a qualification – to become a doctor, an engineer or a lawyer. What a loss of talent. What a lost opportunity to build the skills base of country communities. I am tired of hearing these statistics and I want the next Coalition government to do something about it.”
The Coalition wants to encourage students to complete Year 12 and to support them when they move away from home to higher education.
To oversee this new direction, the Coalition will appoint a Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Education. Unlike Labor’s supposed regional appointees, this one will actually live outside the capital cities. The Coalition will also establish a dedicated regional education unit in the Department.
The Coalition forced changes to the Rudd Government’s draconian proposals for the Independent Youth Allowance, and has highlighted Labor’s waste and mismanagement in its computers in schools and school halls programs.
“We will not stand still on education. We will not make promises that we cannot keep. We will improve education opportunities for regional people,” Mr Truss said.
