Financial support is now available to teachers in flood-hit areas after Federation’s representations to the Department of Education for emergency aid.
School communities inundated in this year’s flood events will be able to access up to $1000 for teachers and $500 for students to replace education materials.
After the decision of March Council, Federation pursued with the Department the provision of ex-gratia payments to compensate teachers for losses resulting from the floods.
The Federation Council decision also put in motion a campaign to maintain pressure on the State Government and Department to expedite the reconstruction and thorough repair of all schools affected in the Lismore area and surrounding local government areas.
The state funding is part of the $67 million Education Flood Recovery Package with targeted support for public school teachers and students in the Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Kyogle, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley and Tweed LGAs.
The Department has announced that families can use the student support for school- related expenses such as uniforms, books, pencils, lunch boxes etc, while for teachers the $1000 payment can be used to continue replacing learning resources, supplies and educational materials.
Non-teaching school staff are also eligible for grants of up to $500.
Federation has received an unprecedented number of calls for financial assistance through its own Emergency Relief Fund, an indication of the severity of floods that have inundated large areas of the state’s seaboard and hinterland.