Staffing an empty schoolhouse: Attracting and retaining teachers in rural, remote and isolated communities
Staffing an empty schoolhouse: Attracting and retaining teachers in rural, remote and isolated communities Book
- Author(s): Roberts, P
- Published: 2005
- Publisher: NSW Teachers Federation
Abstract: While the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) inquiry into rural and remote education and the Vinson Inquiry have highlighted many areas of concern and suggested solutions they are still only a scratch on the surface of a greater problem. The limited examination of the staffing concerns in rural and remote schools is explained by the holistic nature of these inquiries. It must also be noted that many of the issues raised mask deeper concerns and that a number of the suggested solutions will only succeed if accompanied by further improvements. This research intends to explore a range of issues associated with the attraction and retention of teachers to rural and remote schools and aims to suggest appropriate improvements. It can be taken for granted that a number of suggestions of the HREOC inquiry will be espoused, however in many instances greater detail is required. It is the detail of a number of the suggestions, such as what exactly are incentives to offset the cost of living, which this research and the report aims to provide. Similarly it is issues embedded within some of the concerns raised, such as a sense of professional isolation, that need to be explored.