Councillors from the Northern Territory Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association are travelling almost 4000 combined kilometres to Darwin next week. 

NTICPA State Council president Tiani Cook said the issues affecting education in the bush haven’t changed much in the last few years.

“Territory rural and remote families need help with travel, boarding and tuition costs so their kids have the same opportunities as their urban counterparts,” Ms Cook said. 

“We look forward to more inclusive early childhood education programs for families who don’t live near a school.

“We could also definitely use help to cover the cost of supervision to deliver distance education in the home schoolroom and regional telecommunications require continual improvement.”

“Living and raising a family in rural and remote NT should not mean children’s education need be adversely affected,” Ms Cook said. 

“We recognise education is a state responsibility to be shared with the family, however, in some cases, families are carrying too much of that burden.

“Government assistance and support would help take the pressure off, keeping families in the NT and ensuring their children receive an equitable standard of education.”

NT ICPA represents rural and remote Territory families who live on isolated pastoral properties, ranger stations, remote police stations, contracting camps and families who have to travel for work.

Every year, NTICPA meets with government ministers and department officers a to address some of the issues affecting bush kids’ access to education.