THE Isolated Children’s Parents Association has launched Rural and Remote Education Day (RREd Day) encouraging bush families and other stakeholders to wear red on Wednesday October 9 to raise awareness for rural and remote education.

RREd Day is a dedicated awareness day to shine a spotlight on the unique challenges faced by students and families in rural and remote areas of Australia.

This is ICPA’s first foray into visual awareness advocacy, an opportunity for the entire nation to come together to acknowledge the significant barriers to education that rural students face, and to advocate for better support and resources to ensure equitable access to education for all Australian children, regardless of where they live.

The challenges to rural students are significant:

Access to Education – Many families have no choice but to send their children to boarding schools far from home due to a lack of local options.

Financial Burden – Discriminatory tax policies, like GST and fringe benefits tax, significantly inflate boarding fees on cash-strapped isolated families.

Declining Support – The Assistance for Isolated Children allowance has not kept pace with rising costs, putting additional strain on families.

Teacher Shortages – A lack of incentives has led to critical teaching shortages in regional and remote schools.

The theme for this inaugural event is “Wear Red for Rural and Remote Education,” encouraging ICPA members, schools, and supporters to wear red as a symbol of the urgency and passion behind the cause. Participants are invited to share their photos and stories on social media using the hashtag #WearRREd to help amplify the message.

ICPA federal president Louise Martin is eager for all families to participate in this year’s celebrations, if not for their own families, for those living remotely who desperately need education reform.

“Rural and remote students face extraordinary challenges every day, from connectivity issues to limited access to educational resources,” she said.

RREd Day is about bringing these issues to the forefront of national conversation, ensuring that rural and remote education is not just an afterthought but a priority. By wearing red, sharing stories, and joining forces, we can each work to drive the positive change that our rural, remote and isolated children so desperately need.”

Real prizes up for grabs

The campaign has received support from NBN and Telstra, with NBN giving away $1000 cash to the most inspiring entry. Telstra will give away a Cel-fi GO 3G/4G Mobile Booster (RRP $999) to the most inspiring entry as a prize for participants who engage with the campaign by sharing their RRED Day experiences online.

Participants who wear red and share their photos with the hashtag #WearRRed will have the chance to win cash or a connectivity tool, with the winner announced on ICPA’s social media channels and website.

As this is the first iteration of RREd Day, ICPA is aiming for strong participation and engagement, nationwide.

How to participate

Taking part is easy, just post to socials #WearRREd and share to your networks.

“Wearing red on RRED Day is more than just a statement – it symbolises the vast heart of our country, the red land that sustains us, and the families who live and learn in the most remote corners of Australia,” Ms Martin said.

“For the past 53 years, ICPA has been advocating for education access. We will continue to ignite engaging conversations on this topic, and we look forward to uniting our participants under a common cause through a simple yet powerful visual gesture,” she said.

Established in 1971, ICPA is a voluntary, not-for-profit, apolitical parent body dedicated to ensuring equity of access to education for all students who live in rural and remote Australia.