“That ICPA (Aust) lobbies the Federal Government and all stakeholders to provide connectivity to ensure the safety of rural and remote school students, their families and school staff at standalone schools.”
The lack of phone coverage in and around rural and remote schools is a major concern for the staff of these standalone schools. These schools are isolated from rural townships and there are no other buildings in the vicinity. Due to their location, schools are constantly managing passing people who have no business being on the school grounds when they come inside the school boundary to receive help. This is a major safety concern for both staff and students. These schools have limited staff and when one is called away to assist a visitor to the school, this interrupts the students learning and places them in a vulnerable position without adult supervision.
Schools who need Cel-Fi boosters are affected once they move out of range of that device so if there is an incident away from the main building they do not have service where the incident is. This is not good enough and would not happen in a city school.
Currently at Kindon State School there is a Telstra tower at Wyaga which is ten kilometres away. This tower gives coverage approximately three kilometres either side and the next structure heading east is Kindon State School. Of course people are going to go to the school to call for assistance if needed because they have no other choice. In the meantime our staff and students are subject to safety issues which could be fixed if there was enough connectivity surrounding the school.
