Teacher fills gap as state school swim lesson findings delayed

The audit process of a much-needed state school swimming program was due to be completed by the end of February – prompted by The Courier-Mail’s Save Our Schoolkids SOS2 campaign – but still has not surfaced.

As the final report on Queensland’s state school swimming program remains tied up in bureaucratic processes, a swimming teacher and local charity have joined forces to fill the gap and teach children the lifesaving skill.

The urgent review of the state government’s Water Safety and Swimming Education program was ordered in January after The Courier-Mail’s Save Our Schoolkids SOS2 campaign revealed state school students were missing out on lessons because of a lack of pool access or affordability.

The hold-up is because the Department of Education is yet to brief Minister Grace Grace on the findings.

Ms Grace maintains she will release the report and the government’s response as soon as possible, but the process was expected to be completed by the end of February.

Swimming teacher Eve Fraser at Mount Gravatt East Aquatic Centre. Picture: Liam Kidston

The international swim teacher, Eve Fraser, was so shocked by the state of swimming education that she established her own three-pronged program in Queensland through local Rotary clubs.

Ms Fraser has been a trainer of swim instructors for 40 years and was inspired to act after seeing Moreton Bay school chaplains using their own money to buy swim gear for students.

“We had teachers going to their local Woolworths and Kmart and buying swimwear, local chaplains too, who are only paid $30,000 per year as it is,” she said.

“We’ve done three equipment drops for the chaplains and now we’re looking for swim nappies for a special school with participants who have bowel issues.”

Among the criticisms of the state school swim lesson program was that individual principals were relied upon to put the funding to good use, and parents said that in some cases it was not.

Royal Life Saving Australia estimates 40 per cent of children leave primary school not being able to swim 50m or float for two minutes.

“I’m a firm believer that a principal’s values should align with community needs, and this is a community need,” Ms Fraser said.

“Education is caught up in reading, writing and arithmetic.”

Ms Fraser set up the Global Water Safety and Drowning Prevention program with three aims – offering swimming lessons to any child, collecting second-hand goggles and togs, and training the next generation of teachers.

“The need is huge; I expected this in Africa or Thailand, but I did not expect that in Australia,” she said.

“If we get on top of it, we can put in the resources and funding required.

“That is why Rotary is here, but the government also needs to step up ... this is a basic part of education.”

Education Minister Grace Grace. Picture: Liam Kidston

Rotary clubs around the country are financially supporting the program, and equipment donations have rolled in from Swimming Australia, Zoggs Australia, YMCA South Australia and Masters Swimming Queensland.

In 2020, Ms Fraser received the University of Southern Queensland’s Alumnus of the Year award for her work in water safety and drowning prevention.

Royal Life Saving Australia estimates 40 per cent of children leave primary school not being able to swim 50m or float for two minutes.