Queensland citizens draws to the attention of the House the need to turn the tide on rural communities losing their youths to the cities, a growing trend that was only exacerbated by the transition of Year 7 to secondary schooling in 2015.

While this change might have been welcomed by some, the transfer of Year 7 to high school has left many rural families whose towns only have a primary school with only one, often difficult, option: to send their kids, some as young as 11, away to boarding schools in the larger towns and cities.

This has led to "bush kids" needing to leave their families and their home far sooner than they are ready, or for entire families to pack their lives up and abandon the bush (sometimes for good).

While distance education study options are available to all Queensland children, the isolation, lack of daily social interaction and absence of face-to-face learning support that is inherent to this mode of learning does not make it suitable for everyone.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to undertake consultation and devise a solution that enables Year 8-10 students living in rural and remote Queensland towns that have a state primary school to continue their formal education at the same facility by:

1. Establishing "Learning Facilities" at these schools where Year 8-10 distance education students are housed and supported by teacher aides; or

2. Expansion of these schools so that Year 8-10 students can be accommodated in the traditional manner.