Rowena Public School is the town’s beating heart – a symbol of hope and prosperity.
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Like most rural communities when the region’s agriculture thrives so do school numbers; in hard times they dwindle.
But for the first time in years, instead of using fundraising money to keep an additional teacher despite low numbers, the school has been given reprieve due to state government drought exemptions.
The school is among 220 in isolated areas suffering from intense drought conditions that will be guaranteed their staffing entitlements in 2019.
A further 35 schools on the border of drought-affected areas are also able to apply for the concession.
Staffing entitlements at the impacted schools would have dropped by about 100 across the state without this intervention.
Bec Smith, one of the parent volunteers at the school, said they had 21 students enrolled for 2019 but needed 26 to retain a second teacher.
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“Twenty six is the magic number for our school but the government has granted us grace this year,” she said.
Mrs Smith said for the past couple of years the school’s community, which extends as far as Narrabri, Moree, Wee, Waa, Walgett and Burren Junction, had raised money through various events. Last year alone they raised up to $25,000.
“This community is amazing, we have a good community that bands together, not just our town but other districts,” she said.
Education Minister Rob Stokes reassured rural families doing it tough that they had the full support of the state government.
Mr Stokes announced late last year that falling enrolments in drought-affected rural communities would not impact teacher numbers at their local public schools.
He said the drought had already forced families from some rural communities to relocate, causing a decline in student numbers.
“We are aware of how tough the drought has been on farming families and their rural communities, and we are doing everything we can to ease its impact,” Mr Stokes said.
Under a resourcing formula for schools, Mr Stokes said staffing requirements were based on student numbers, so schools that lose students would typically have a reduction in staff.
Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said the move would also help prevent schools from exhausting their resources and having to recruit more staff once the drought breaks.
“Schools are a vital part of our regional communities and that is why it is so important that the NSW government can offer this support to those that need it most, and ensure schooling communities throughout regional NSW continue to thrive,” he said.