<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340577</docID> <postdate>2025-03-18 11:21:36</postdate> <headline>Nation of waders: poor swimming puts generation at risk</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-340578" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20220725001683152981-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Lifesavers are alarmed at a lack of swimming skills and abilities among primary school children. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Ethan James</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Almost half of year-six students being unable to swim 50 metres rings alarm bells for water safety experts.</strong></p> <p>The lack of skills leaves Australia at risk of becoming a "nation of waders" unable to swim their way out of trouble, Royal Life Saving Society Australia CEO Justin Scarr believes.</p> <p>Primary-aged students struggle to meet benchmarks and swimming abilities were not improving by much in high school, according to a survey of more than 300 education staff.</p> <p>Teachers estimate 48 per cent of students in year 6 were unable to meet a national benchmark of swimming 50m and treading water for two minutes.</p> <p>They also estimate 39 per cent of year 10 students were unable to meet the year 6 benchmark.</p> <p>The COVID-19 pandemic had amplified the problem while the cost of private swimming lessons wasn't helping, Dr Scarr said.</p> <p>"We have been studying children's swimming ability for at least two decades. This report confirms it is much worse than we've previously estimated," he said.</p> <p>If children do not learn in primary school then they don't improve in high school and it indicates a systemic failure, according to Dr Scarr.</p> <p>Drowning rates this summer were five per cent higher than last, with 104 people losing their lives.</p> <p>The survey was conducted in late 2024 and also canvassed more than 1200 parents, finding 31 per cent of schools did not offer learn-to-swim programs.</p> <p>Cost, staff shortages and time limitations were cited as major barriers.</p> <p>The lifesaving society calls for more government funding of existing programs, increased grants for more vulnerable demographics and better pool infrastructure.</p> <p>"Non- and poor-swimming children become adults highly vulnerable to drowning," Dr Scarr said, adding drowning rates increase tenfold between 10 and 20 years of age.</p> <p>The lifesaving skills of high school students were "dangerously weak", with teachers estimating 84 per cent of children aged 15-16 could not swim 400 metres and tread water for five minutes.</p> <p>The markers are considered a basic lifesaving requirement and the benchmark for 17-year-olds.</p> </body>