Forced lessons ‘not solution’

CAIRNS MP Michael Healy has stopped short of supporting a push for compulsory swimming lessons for primary school students but said schools could play a “key role” in water safety.

Mr Healy acknowledged swimming was a way of life in Queensland, but said it was a community issue and “not as simple as making lessons mandatory at all schools”.

He said the State Government would liaise with stakeholders including Surf Life Saving Queensland and P&C representatives to address the issues.

“(This is so) we come up with the right program in schools to play a key role in the process of teaching children to swim,” he said. “Already around 850 schools access the learn-to-swim grants to support swimming lessons.

“Our state schools are encouraged to offer swimming lessons to students but it is not compulsory.”

He said it was up to each school to decide.

“The decision ... is made at a school level in consultation with the school community,” he said. “I want our youngsters to enjoy splashing around in the pool and in our waterways and to do it safely. The earlier they are introduced to water safety the better but it is never too late to learn and schools can clearly play a key role.”

He said funding to schools in the form of learn-to-swim grants had rised by 50 per cent to $1.5 million this year.