A smart Queensland

We recognise that the early health and well-being of a child is critical to their later success and education is the key that unlocks a child’s potential.

My government is committed to providing all Queensland children with access to high quality education and care from the early years and throughout a lifetime of learning.

That’s why we are delivering extra kindergarten places, have improved school facilities, provided more support for teachers and more training places to keep pace with the demand for skilled workers.

Early childhood

• To oversee and deliver reforms for children aged three and a half to four and a half – by creating a new Office of Early Education and Care within Education Queensland.
• Double the number of kindergarten places – which will enable 12,000 children who are not currently participating in an early learning program to access a place at one of 240 additional kindergarten services throughout the State, by 2014.
• Delivering a $32 million Early Years Centres program – with two centres opened at Nerang and Caboolture and another two planned for Cairns and Browns Plains to provide education, child care, parenting and other family support.

Schools

• Working to meet growing demand by opening three new schools – including two state schools, Park Lake and Coomera Springs at the northern end of the Gold Coast, and the Queensland Academy for Health Sciences adjacent to the Gold Coast Griffith University Campus.
• Committing to four new schools in 2009 – with $82.4 million for three schools on the Gold Coast and an additional school in Brisbane’s north.
• Delivering new and upgraded education facilities at some of Queensland’s oldest schools – with $390 million under the State Schools of Tomorrow initiative for schools at Innisfail, Wynnum, Inala and Ipswich.
• Committed to more work under the State Schools of Tomorrow initiative – providing a further $150 million over five years for more of our older schools around the State.
• Providing students, parents and employers with better information about student attainment – with the new Queensland Certificate of Education that replaces the old senior certificate.
• Working to improve student literacy – with $28 million for intensive literacy support through the Literacy Framework and targeted support for students in upper primary school.
• Ensuring the currency of teachers’ skills and knowledge – with $47 million for professional development of school and TAFE teachers.
• Continuing the roll-out of computers for teachers – with $20 million this year as part of the $70 million Computers for Teachers program.

Skills

• Addressing the skills shortage – with $38.7 million this year to support more than 7,700 training places as part of the $1 billion Queensland Skills Plan.
• Building and planning for new TAFE facilities and campuses – with a $280 million four-year TAFE facilities program, including more than $54 million on the construction of four SkillsTech Australia sites including the Acacia Ridge campus.

Last updated Monday, February 09, 2009

^ to top