Committee to examine regional, rural and remote education attainment gap

THE House Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training will scrutinise the Department of Education, Skills and Employment on actions being undertaken to address the education attainment gap between students living in regional, rural and remote areas and their peers in metropolitan areas.

The Department’s appearance before the Committee on Wednesday, January 5, 2020 will be the first public hearing of the Committee’s inquiry into the education of students in remote and complex environments.

Chair, Andrew Laming MP, said. "The Committee is concerned that regional, rural and remote students’ achievement in education has been lower than that of metropolitan students for many years. It is confronting that young people living in the bush are have lower educational attainment rates in school, in Year 12 and in tertiary education than those in cities.

"Regardless of where they live, young Australians should be supported to meet their potential with high quality education and meaningful pathways to further education and employment. The Committee is examining how education meets the learning needs of students and how barriers in education can be overcome," Mr Laming said.

Last year the Morrison Government released the National Regional, Rural and Remote Education Strategy, which focuses on improving tertiary education participation and outcomes for students from non-metropolitan areas. The Strategy forms part of a broader Regional Education package and builds on the Government's response to the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education (the Halsey Review).

Mr Laming said, "At the hearing, the Committee will examine how the Government is implementing the Strategy and the recommendations of the Halsey Review, as part of its broader investment in regional, rural and remote education."

Public hearing details

Date: Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Time: 11.30am to 12.45pm
Location: Committee Room 1R2, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

The closing date for submissions has been extended to Friday, February 28, 2020. Submissions can be made online or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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