We are committed to investing in our communities to continue giving Queensland children a great start, and providing young people with world-class learning facilities, no matter where they live.
Infrastructure investment
The department’s education infrastructure program is delivering the largest investment in state school infrastructure in the history of Queensland. This includes progress of the Queensland Government’s election commitments to deliver: school halls and new classroom blocks; performing arts centres; upgrades to learning environments; and smaller projects, such as amenity block refurbishments, playground upgrades and improved accessibility.
The infrastructure highlights in 2021–22 include:
- increasing capacity across our state school network equivalent to more than 530 additional classrooms
- maintenance, modernisation and repurposing of education infrastructure across our asset base comprising of 42,000 structures
- renewal and refurbishment of school facilities to ensure all students are provided with fit-for-purpose learning environments, such as contemporary specialist spaces.
New schools to meet community needs
Planning for new schools involves considering the capacity of the existing network, ability to expand existing schools, growth in local student population, and land availability.
During 2021–22, three new state schools officially opened:
- Everleigh State School, Greenbank
- Nirimba State Primary School, Caloundra South
- Coomera State Special School, Coomera.
These schools represent a $200 million infrastructure investment, supporting almost 600 full-time jobs during construction.
Advancing Clean Energy Schools (ACES) program
The ACES program helps schools reduce their energy costs, support job growth in the renewables industry, reduce the carbon footprint of state schools and support local businesses and contractors.
The $47.83 million spent in 2021–22 is part of a three-year, $168.1 million government commitment (2020 to 2024) to support over 800 state schools to install energy efficient systems and measures.
Schools taking part in ACES receive a detailed facilities study to determine energy usage and identify the energy conservation measures (for example, solar, LED lighting, etc.) most effective for reducing overall energy consumption.
Cooler Cleaner Schools Program (CCSP)
From 19 April 2022, every classroom, library and staff room in every Queensland state school was air-conditioned as part of a 4-year, $477 million government commitment under the CCSP.
Successful delivery of the CCSP equates to approximately 10,000 spaces in 649 state schools being cooler and more comfortable learning environments for students, teachers and school communities.
The work was initially scheduled to conclude at the end of June 2022, but was completed early before the start of Term 2, 2022, with $92.26 million spent in 2021–22.
School Refresh Program
In 2021–22, the department co-invested $40.8 million with schools under the School Refresh Program. This enabled over 800 schools, built before 2012, to undertake maintenance work and improvements, including:
- painting, flooring and furniture replacement
- tree trimming and roofing maintenance (including gutters and downpipes)
- playgrounds and sporting equipment
- plumbing and joinery
- grounds maintenance.
Bandwidth Upgrade Project
We are creating greater equity and access to technology, as part of an almost $190 million Queensland Government commitment to make internet speeds faster for our state schools.
The Bandwidth Upgrade Project (BUP) commenced in April 2022 and will ensure that by 2026 there will be:
- upgrades to every schools’ broadband connection
- transmission facilities at approximately 300 locations
- 40 times more bandwidth than the previous standard during the rollout phase, followed by a 200 times uplift of the previous standard during the final phase.
Digital access and inclusion is one of the most important drivers of positive education outcomes for students. For some of our schools, particularly in rural and remote Queensland, this will be the first time they are connected to fibre optic cable.
The BUP will ensure that schools will be able to adopt the latest in digital technologies, supporting the delivery of world-class modern education in Queensland state schools.