RURAL KIDS LEFT BEHIND
THE State Government will establish an Expert Advisory Panel to examine why regional students are falling behind their metropolitan counterparts.
But a lobby group has expressed disappointment in the Government’s decision to skip over the Geelong region in a series of consultation meetings, voicing concerns slow internet speeds were leaving students behind.
Education Minister James Merlino yesterday announced the establishment of the Expert Advisory Panel for Rural and Regional Students to bridge the divide between regional and metropolitan schools.
In the announcement Mr Merlino noted NAPLAN data showed regional and rural schools were around 20 points or more behind the performance of metropolitan schools.
“We are already doing a lot to boost results in regional and rural Victoria, but we now need to look at what more we can do and that is why this panel is so important,” Mr Merlino said.
G21 Geelong Region Alliance chief executive Elaine Carbines said she was “disappointed” the Government had overlooked Geelong for a series of consultation meetings.
“We want to be able to participate in that,” Ms Carbines said. “Our region suffers as much from this issue as the others across the state.”
Many Geelong region students were being left behind due to sluggish broadband capacity, Ms Carbines said.
“Very much in the 21st century digital learning is at the forefront of education and we’re very concerned that in our region we know there is insufficient broadband capacity available to our school students — particularly in our state schools,” she said.
“Unfortunately there are still 20 secondary schools in our region that have less than appropriate internet capacity to allow full and comprehensive digital learning.”
Latest Census data showed Greater Geelong students were 13 per cent less likely to finish year 12 than those studying in Greater Melbourne.
The 2016 Census figures show 46.4 per cent of Greater Geelong residents aged over 15 years had completed year 12 or equivalent — compared with 59.4 per cent of Greater Melbourne students.
The panel will be chaired by Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority chief executive Dr David Howes, and include principals and regional education experts.
“This is about listening to local communities to understand what challenges are preventing regional and rural students from meeting their aspirations,” Mr Howes said.