Education.
Queensland kids deserve the best start in life.
Steven Miles and Labor believe in the transformational power of quality education and making sure that every Queensland child gets the best start in life.
That’s why we’ve made Kindy free for every four-year-old in Queensland.
We have also supported 36 Early Childhood Coordinators in communities where children experience vulnerability and disadvantage and we will also employ 84 Family Support Coordinators across 219 primary schools to make sure the transition to school is a smooth one.
We are helping kids get a great start to their learning day by providing school breakfast and lunch programs in our schools.
And, in the biggest reform to education since Prep, if re-elected we will make lunches free for children in Queensland’s State Primary Schools.
It’s expected to save parents $1,600 per child, each year from 2025 - easing pressure on families and helping kids focus in the classroom.
We all want Queensland kids to have the best start in life - and they learn best with full tummies.
It’s good for kids, good for teachers and good for parents.
The meals will be delivered in partnership with P&Cs Queensland, Queensland Association of School Tuckshops, school Principals, Health and Wellbeing Queensland and non-government food providers.
Our more than $10 million investment is providing relief to Queensland families experiencing cost of living pressures and challenges meeting the needs of their children.
Labor has built and opened 27 new state schools and 90 new school halls and performing arts centres. And there is more on the way with six planned for delivery by end of 2024.
We have hired 6,200 new teachers and more than 2,500 new teacher-aides.
We air conditioned every single classroom, staff room and library in Queensland State Schools, making sure students and staff have great places to work and learn.
Our Record.
Quality education is an investment in the future of our kids and our State. This investment is already paying dividends for Queensland. We want all Queensland kids to have access to the game changer that is high quality, and engaging education.
We are investing $288 million to support at risk students to stay at school or access 58 new Flexispaces and six additional Queensland Pathways College campuses.
We know digital technology plays a key part in learning and educating our kids for tomorrow. That’s why the Miles Labor Government is providing 140,000 free laptops over the next three years for Queensland’s most disadvantaged students.
We hired 615 wellbeing professionals to support students with their mental health and wellbeing. This means that every state school has access to a wellbeing professional.
We’ve backed having GPs based in 50 state secondary schools across the state so that young people and their families can access healthcare where they need it.
And we are rolling out 20 GPs in our primary schools with greatest need.
We know that part of supporting kids and teachers well-being is to have the resources to respond effectively to complex behaviour. That’s why we are employing 85 Behaviour Specialists in 299 primary schools through our Putting Queensland Kids First program.
And because all children deserve the very best opportunity for education we’re hiring 2000 physiotherapy, speech pathology and counselling staff, supporting increased enrolment in state schools of students with a disability.
This is all at risk under the LNP.
When last in government the LNP closed 8 schools and planned to close another 3. They sold land from state schools to private investors. The LNP changed the staffing model to reduce the number of teachers and cut support staff.
The LNP shut down 30 TAFE campuses and sacked more than 2000 TAFE workers.
They shut down the ‘skilling Queenslanders for work’ program that supports training the most vulnerable in our community to ensure they can get a good job, and they’ve said they’ll cut this again if elected in October.
We cannot trust the LNP to invest in education and skills. Their only plan is to cut.