A Detailed Look Into the Request for Assistance from a Remote Indigenous Family to Maintain Custody of Their Children
Remote Queensland parents are advocating for support to prevent their children from having to leave home to attend high school.
A remote indigenous community near Burketown, in the remote northwest region of Queensland, is seeking assistance to keep their families together.
As their children mature, study opportunities diminish, leading to many sending their children away for higher education.
This issue persists in remote areas of the state, with numerous parents requesting government consultation to help retain young children at home after Year 6.
They propose a simple solution—a position like a teacher aide at a local primary school could support distance education.
The Bidunggu Reserve, situated 120 kilometers (74.6 miles) from Burketown, is a family-oriented indigenous community sustained by mining royalties.
Claudette and Shane King, parents from Bidunggu, mention that children in the community have a strong passion for learning and school, but are saddened by the prospect of relocating to boarding schools in big cities from Year 7 due to their close family ties and community love.
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The parents express concern about high school kids being sent to boarding school, resulting in stress and feelings of displacement.
Ms. King stated, “It’s very difficult to send them away. Why can’t they have schooling here? They are accustomed to the countryside, not city life.”
The Kings use funds from mining royalties to transport children from the Reserve to school daily and provide lunches.
Mr. King even learned to drive a bus so that community students have equal learning opportunities.
However, Ms. King indicated that attempts to facilitate homeschooling through Cairns via Burketown Primary School failed.
She suggests the school requires a teacher aide for a few days each week to assist students with distance education.
The indigenous community is willing to fund the position themselves using royalties, requiring government approval.
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