Education Minister Grace Grace has reaffirmed the Queensland government's agreement for the need for geographically isolated students to be catered for adequately within the state distance education system.
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Responding to a motion presented at the state Isolated Children's Parents' Association conference at Blackall in central Queensland last week, Ms Grace said she agreed wholeheartedly with its sentiment.
Presenting the motion on behalf of the ICPA Clermont branch, Sarah Cox outlined the concerns being felt around geographically isolated students now being a very small minority in Schools of Distance Education enrolments.
"Schools of Distance Education were largely set up in Queensland to cater for geographically isolated children so these students could receive more equitable education opportunities despite where they reside," she said. "It is essential that they continue to cater adequately for the unique circumstances and needs of these families, who have no other choice but to educate their children by distance education."
Her words were supported by ICPA Queensland patron Trish Mitchell.
Ms Grace said the schools could provide remote learning for all but they needed to prioritise remote students.
"I have got my department working on this and I am driving it from a ministerial perspective," she said.
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The impact of the increase in enrolments of students who aren't geographically isolated was emphasised by a motion from the Alpha branch, which was concerned with the critical need to group rural and remote students into the same on-air classes.
"Rather than grouping geographically isolated students from the same local districts together, they are spread across multiple classes and grouped with students they will never have the opportunity to interact with at minischools or their local district," the explanation read.
"Our branch has had numerous reports from families that this current structuring of on-air classes is greatly impacting GI students, with considerable disruption occurring during lessons.
"This leads to poorer social and educational outcomes for the GI students."
ICPA vice president Wendy Henning said she was reassured by Minister Grace's awareness of the issues.
"She spoke about geographically isolated students not being lost in the immersive enrolments of those who are there by choice," she said.