Regional roads and the lack of maintenance have prevented students from compulsory face-to-face interactions, with some children missing NAPLAN testing.
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The issue was raised at the Isolated Children's and Parents' Association state conference on Friday at Quorn when state council member Hollie Williams put forward the motion for SA ICPA to liaise with Regional Roads Minister Geoff Brock and the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Road Maintenance Regional North and Outback division, to discuss the need for a safe and functional road system that ensured quality educational opportunities, and assessments that were reachable for rural and remote students.
State council member Kirsty Williams said "obviously rain and other events make for unfavorable road conditions at times".
"However, many roads remain in a poor condition for months on end, often exacerbated by the heavy use from tourists.
"Roads need to be adequately maintained as they provide an essential link to enable remote and isolated families to receive school resources via the mail and to attend face to face school activities and events including NAPLAN testing."
School of the Air head of campus Lai Kwan Lim said one family with two children in Years 3 and 5, missed out on NAPLAN testing.
"Because of the rain on Innamincka Station, they missed out," she said.
Mr Brock said he "whole heartedly agreed the condition of the roads up there" were not up to standard.
"We've just put $10.5 million into the Oodnadatta road to raise it up in some different areas," he said.
"The issue is, there has been lots and lots of rain there and I'm not making excuses but there has been lots of rain and that has caused lots of problems.
"There has been some faulty work carried out."
Mr Brock said a new collaborative forum had been created, which was out of the political sphere of local members and was due to meet in about four weeks time.
He said the collaborative forum included DIT, Livestock SA, the Outback Communities Authority and the Department for Education.
"We have taken the politics out of it - so there is no members of parliament on it - Eddie Hughes or myself - as the two local members," he said.
"They will be reporting directly back to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
"Whilst the roads are getting a lot of rain up there which is good for pastoralists, it's created a bloody hell of a problem for roads too.
"I am taking a note as a local member, away from Giles, I'm taking a note of all the issues that are being discussed here today."
Kiara Stacey
Journalist for Stock Journal. Kiara was in classified sales at Stock Journal before joining the editorial team in 2021. Kiara completed a Bachelor of Communication (journalism) at Deakin University the year prior.
Journalist for Stock Journal. Kiara was in classified sales at Stock Journal before joining the editorial team in 2021. Kiara completed a Bachelor of Communication (journalism) at Deakin University the year prior.
