The Bush Summit: Why school attendance is poorer in remote Australian communities
Children in remote Aussie communities are missing three times as much school as their city peers, and experts say there’s “clear evidence” to show it’s taking a toll on NAPLAN scores.
Unpredictable school bus timetables, teacher shortages and medical appointments are driving students in some of the country’s most remote areas to miss up to two months of classes a year.
Those studying at schools in extremely remote Australian communities were absent for more than three times as many days as their metropolitan peers last year, according to Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority attendance data.
This is the second highest rate in the past eight years.
Consequently, some cohorts across Australia’s most remote schools are recording their lowest NAPLAN scores in three years, with experts warning there’s “clear evidence” to suggest lower test results are associated with reduced school attendance.
Nationwide, students in Years 1 to 10 who were considered to be studying in a “very remote” area were absent for approximately 68 days last year. This compares to 22 days for those in Years 1 to 10 at a school in the city.
Deakin University School of Psychology Associate Professor Glenn Melvin said the attendance rate discrepancy between metro and regional schools was widening, particularly in high school where in some years the difference had doubled since 2014.
“Attendance has fallen in both metropolitan and regional schools, but it seems to have fallen at a greater rate in regional schools,” he said.
Attendance rates have also failed to bounce back since the pandemic, which Associate Professor Melvin said was “of great concern”.
“I’m certainly hoping to see some greater improvement in 2024, there’s a lot of work to be done in this space to at very least see those rates come back to 2019 levels, which were already starting to slip over time as well,” he said.
Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association Australia Vice President Nikki Mahony said the school curriculum paired with low attendance rates were driving poor NAPLAN results in very remote areas.
“You’ve got a curriculum that is set up so every day there’s a critical learning aspect and there’s no time in the curriculum for revision and mastering,” she said.
“Every day matters and the biggest issue with that is if you miss a day, you might miss that actual concept.”
Associate Professor Melvin said something as simple as missing the bus in the morning or having a medical appointment could contribute to regional students taking an entire day off school.
“If the student misses the bus in the morning, they can’t catch the next one because there may not be a next one,” he said.
“Economic disadvantage is also a known influence, and these communities often face limited access to services that support education, health, and mental health.
“Collectively, these barriers can hinder student engagement and participation in education.”
Ms Mahony said a lack of experienced teachers in the regions was also contributing to poor NAPLAN results and attendance rates.
“Enticing experienced teachers (to come to the regions) is not just about pay – quite often it’s about lack of housing (and) lack of services,” she said.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare acknowledged school attendance rates had declined in the past decade.
“This is starting to turn around, but there’s a lot more work to do,” he said.
Mr Clare said a federal-state deal to fix public school funding included a target to lift attendance rates back to pre-Covid levels by 2030.
“This is the biggest new investment in public schools by the Australian Government ever and it’s tied to practical reforms, to help children who fall behind to catch up and to keep up, and to provide mental health support,” he said.
“This is important because if school makes sense, you’re more likely to want to go to school. If you’re feeling well, you’re more likely to want to go to school.
“This funding will also be invested in targeted measures to increase attendance rates.”
Originally published as The Bush Summit: Why school attendance is poorer in remote Australian communities
