Regional Education

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:45): Every child in South Australia deserves a quality education regardless of where they live. However, this is not the reality. Under the Malinauskas Labor government, challenges in regional education have largely been ignored or have been pushed to the sidelines. The regions are not a priority for this government. Despite repeated warnings raised over time from educators, parents and local communities, this government has allowed the problems to spiral.

Currently, there are around 500 pre-service teachers teaching in our government schools—that is, students who have not yet completed their university degrees teaching in our classrooms. Many of them are placed in regional and remote schools not by choice but out of necessity. These future educators are passionate and committed, but they were never intended to be a long-term solution. The classrooms need fully qualified teachers, not bandaid fixes, while experienced educators continue to leave the profession in droves.

The teacher shortage across our state is real, and nowhere is it more desperately felt than in regional South Australia. Our students need experienced specialist teachers, particularly in core areas such as maths, science and STEM. This is not just a staffing issue; it is a skills crisis in the making. How can we prepare regional students for the jobs of tomorrow if they are missing out on foundational learning today?

Another pressing concern is the lack of mental health support in regional South Australia. In drought-affected and remote communities, the emotional toll of hardship, isolation and trauma is real, yet it is our teachers, not trained psychologists, who are often left to manage complex mental health issues, often without the tools or support they need. Teachers are not mental health professionals, they are educators, and we cannot continue to expect them to carry this burden.

Behavioural issues are escalating in our regions and across our state. A recent survey found that over 65 per cent of teachers in regional areas are spending more time managing disruptive behaviour than teaching. This is unacceptable. Our teachers are being stretched to the limit, buried under red tape and an administrative overload, when their focus should be on delivering quality learning experiences.

Alarmingly, we are seeing schools increasingly turn to security guards to maintain safety. It is shocking that teachers and principals are being forced to make this decision to keep classrooms safe. Schools should be a place of learning, not conflict zones where safety is uncertain. Our students should be greeted by role models in the schoolyard, including teachers who guide and inspire, not security guards responding to yet another crisis.

Critical incidents in our schools increased by nearly 1,000 in 2024 compared to previous years. While we saw a decrease in secondary schools, concerningly, we saw a major increase in our primary schools. The rise in violence, bullying, drugs and even weapons in our schools is not just concerning; it is deeply distressing. These incidents are pulling teachers away from their core role and placing them in vulnerable positions that they are not always trained for.

This is a system under strain. Each day the government fails to act, students risk falling further behind. Behavioural management in our schools needs major reform. We need to be looking at what best practice suggests and implement change fast for the benefit of our next generation. It is not a failure of our teachers; it is a failure of the system that is supposed to be there to support them. We need to fix this, and we need to see real, regionally-specific educational solutions delivered so that teachers can return to teaching.

Above all, it requires leadership. This government must do more than just talk about education; it must prioritise it and put solutions into motion. Addressing teacher shortages, improving mental health and behavioural support, and restoring safe learning environments must be core priorities.

To our regional teachers, students and families, we hear you and we thank you. We see the challenges you are facing and we are fighting for you. It is time to invest in the future of our children. It is time to restore confidence in our education system, starting with the communities that need us most.