Helping our kids learn

Not-for-profit organisation Teach Learn Grow has had two volunteer groups visit Boddington District High School to provide free tutoring and mentoring to students.

TLG is dedicated to closing the education gap between metropolitan and regional students in WA and NSW.

The organisation runs its rural program twice a year.

It involves volunteers spending a week at a rural school working with primary students.

TLG spokeswoman Anne-Marie White said the tutors who visited BDHS helped students with maths but a big part of the program also focused on encouraging students to pursue high school and tertiary studies.

“The vast majority of our volunteers are university students who act as positive role models in order to help students in rural and regional Australia reach their full potential,” she said.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, children in rural and remote communities are an average 21/2 years behind metropolitan students.

Very remote students are 20 times more likely to be below minimum standard, and three in five indigenous students will never finish school.

TLG co-ordinator Uday Manchanda said it was eye-opening to hear about the disparity that existed in primary and upper primary education in rural WA.

“Coming out into the country is empowering for both the students and the tutors,” he said.

South 32 mine has been a sponsor of TLG since 2018. Operations manager Aaron Nash said the company was excited to be involved.

“It’s a wonderful program and has really expanded the education opportunities for the children,” he said.

“TLG fits really well into our three focus points of environment, tourism and education and what we want to do for the community. For us it does definitely help a child’s ability to make the most of educational outcomes.”

The TLG tutors visited the South 32 mine site on Tuesday to understand future careers.

Volunteer Laura Bonner has been volunteering with TLG since 2017 and said she has always wanted to be apart of a volunteer organisation.

“I love tutoring because I’m studying to be a teacher and I’ve always wanted to explore rural communities. You really get to make a difference and inspire so many kids”

A group of volunteers also visited Kondinin Primary School last week.