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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-12 Daily Xml
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ISOLATED STUDENTS FUNDING

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER (15:07): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Education a question on funding for isolated students.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.V. SCHAEFER: Recently, the ICPA's (Isolated Children's Parents' Association) annual conference was held in Woomera and was attended by my colleague the Hon. John Dawkins. At that conference a number of motions were passed, but three motions that related to the provision of broadband access to isolated students were passed unanimously. Essentially, they are covered in the following motion:

...the provision of Internet accounts for all Open Access College and Port Augusta School of the Air students studying via distance education be provided. The account is to be dedicated to educational purposes comparable to that which is provided to students studying in 'Face to Face' schools, and separate to existing business or personal accounts.

Part of the explanation that was provided stated:

...we believe our students should be able, as their right, to access school internet provided by DECS. In all other South Australian public schools, students receive free Internet access in their 'schoolroom', so why too is this not a right for our 'distance' students?

The internet is becoming more and more an essential mode of learning for remote students with ever increasing usage as a communication tool for students through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP); video conferencing and collaboration tools (discussion boards, Moodles, etc.), as well as research purposes.

Families of distance education students are being unfairly penalised and/or limited in their capacity to keep up to speed with educational service provision.

Twelve months ago I spoke on this issue because I see it as a matter of community access. I also see this as a matter of social exclusion, and I asked whether Monsignor Cappo had been approached. I visited the School of the Air about 12 months ago in Port Augusta. They had indeed written to Monsignor Cappo as a matter of social inclusion. They had not had a reply. They have not had a reply from this government.

Many of them are paying in excess of $150 a month to get sufficient downloading and uploading facilities for their children to complete their lessons. As we all know, they have suffered extreme drought. There is no budgetary provision for these people, and it appears that, 12 months on, nothing has been done for them. My questions to the minister are:

1. When will these students be treated the same as students from normal schools?

2. Why are they being discriminated against because of geography alone?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:11): I thank the honourable member for her questions. I will refer them to the Minister for Education in another place and bring back a response.

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