Drought-stricken families receiving the Living Away From Home Allowance to send children away to boarding school will now receive around $1250 per student per annum for the next three years as part of a Rural Assistance Package announced in the state budget.
It amounts to $3.7m over three years and is in response to one of the recommendations made by the Rural Debt and Drought Taskforce to assist with the cost of boarding fees for students from drought-affected parts of the state.
The initiaitive has been welcomed by the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association.
State president Kim Hughes said families were extremely grateful for further assistance and she thanked Agriculture Minister Leanne Donaldson and the state government for recognising the need to provide extra funds to ensure children can continue to access education, and families can remain in the bush.
“There are 13 shires in Queensland with no high school through to year 12.
Eight of these shires do not have secondary school and are drought-declared, which means a boarding school education for students in these communities is a necessity.
“We are heartened by Minister Donaldson’s announcement. The priority it gives to all Queensland children, regardless of where they live, is significant.
“For their families, the extra support during the unprecedented drought could be the difference between them staying in, or leaving their small communities.
“The future strength of rural and remote Queensland relies on strong communities and our children are that future, so it’s vital they get the best opportunities to contribute.”