Australia’s Regional Education Commissioner, the Hon Fiona Nash, has released her 2023 Annual Report.
The report focuses on the state of the education, training, and skills sectors in regional Australia.
Throughout 2023, the Commissioner met with communities and stakeholders across early childhood education and care, schools, vocational education and training and higher education.
The report includes 21 issues for consideration and details key themes including:
- Support needs to be timely and appropriately targeted to improve access to and participation in education.
- Helping regional students and prospective students understand their options for future pathways by improving careers advice and building aspiration as early as primary school.
- Policy makers and funding bodies should allow for flexible delivery models.
- ‘Homegrown’ workforces will improve the opportunity for regional people to stay in their local regions, and to strengthen regional development.
- Locally based solutions and local expertise and knowledge are necessary to underpin all these activities.
The Commissioner was also a member of the Australian Universities Accord Panel which ensures the education needs of regional Australians remain a priority.
Having lived and worked in regional Australia for decades, the Commissioner is aware of the rewards and challenges of rural life.
“Growing up in a regional community can be a wonderful experience. However, regional students and their families often find themselves having to rise to challenges like greater distances to services and higher costs in accessing education outside major cities. It is crucial that we ensure people in regional communities have reliable, affordable access to every stage of education,” said the Commissioner.
Read all about her work in the Annual Report.