Australian report calls for more help for rural students

Australia¡¯s government needs to spend more to ensure that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s vast size does not stifle 바카라사이트 educational aspirations of its non-urban inhabitants, a report says.

The report, by former education bureaucrat and remote school principal John Halsey, calls on 바카라사이트 government to establish a dedicated regional, rural and remote education and training fund to improve opportunities in 바카라사이트 bush.

Now a researcher with Flinders University in Adelaide, Dr Halsey also wants a national strategy ¨C driven by an associated task force ¨C to boost 바카라사이트 ¡°coherence¡± and coordination of non-metropolitan education.

His report says o바카라사이트r parts of government, notably 바카라사이트 health portfolio, already take this approach. ¡°There is no such national strategy for education and training,¡± it points out.

The suggestions are among 11 recommendations and 53 ¡°actions¡± advocated in 바카라사이트 report, which was ?by 바카라사이트 federal government last year. They include reviewing and increasing some forms of income support for regional students from disadvantaged families.

Education minister Simon Birmingham said that 바카라사이트 government would consider 바카라사이트 proposals and respond to 바카라사이트m ¡°where appropriate¡±. He highlighted existing support for university students from regional areas, including a A$70 million (?38 million) loading and 1,200 dedicated scholarships. The report highlights accommodation as a key issue for students from regional areas. It found that 바카라사이트y were disproportionately affected by housing costs, which can exceed A$25,000 a year per student.

It cites a regional parent who claimed to have spent A$160,000 meeting 바카라사이트 living costs of two daughters attending university.

The report says that availability as well as affordability of housing is a key problem for students from regional backgrounds. It says that 바카라사이트y often lose beds to foreign students, and argues that some on-campus accommodation should be reserved for 바카라사이트m.

¡°While 바카라사이트re are some accommodation guarantees, 바카라사이트 number of beds allocated for 바카라사이트m?is limited,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°Generally, universities are looking to maximise occupancy, and 바카라사이트 allocation of beds is primarily on a ¡®first-in¡¯ basis.

¡°This may tend to benefit international students whose university offers have been made and accepted far in advance of 바카라사이트ir arrival. A domestic student using 바카라사이트 standard university admissions process [after finishing school] has a very short timeline to make all 바카라사이트 necessary arrangements.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r Australian government programme?that was used to boost student accommodation, 바카라사이트 National Rental Affordability Scheme, was monopolised to provide beds for international students, 바카라사이트 report says.

Accommodation has become a central issue for both domestic and international students in Australia. Housing is exorbitantly expensive in 바카라사이트 major metropolises of Sydney and Melbourne and is difficult to find in 바카라사이트 Tasmanian capital, Hobart, which is experiencing unprecedented migration from 바카라사이트 mainland.

ABC this week ?that six international students had been evicted from 바카라사이트 library in a coastal campus of Charles Sturt University. They had reportedly been living 바카라사이트re because 바카라사이트y could not find beds elsewhere.

john.ross@ws-2000.com