Back to school - 2012

Premier Anna Bligh and Education Minister Cameron Dick said about 495,000 state school students go back to school tomorrow with 2012 one of the most important reform years in decades.

Ms Bligh said the new school year would begin with "arguably one of the most significant changes we've ever seen in education in Australia" - the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in English, mathematics and science for Prep to Year 10 students.

In addition, the Year 7 in high school is being piloted at Murrumba State Secondary College, north of Brisbane.

"The new curriculum reiterates the State Government's ongoing commitment to delivering world-class education for all Queenslanders," Ms Bligh said.

"The Australian Curriculum sets out the core knowledge and skills that are important for all students, and identifies what young people should learn as they progress through school.

"It also creates a consistent curriculum across the country for the very first time."

Ms Bligh said the 2012 school year would also mark the opening of four new state schools, and the relocation of another, all to open their doors in Queensland communities where they are needed most.

The new schools are Wynnum State School, Mango Hill Primary School, Brightwater State School on the Sunshine Coast and Murrumba State Secondary College, along with the relocation of Tagai State College's Mer campus - one of the most isolated schools in Queensland, north-east of Thursday Island.

"Local communities can look forward to students having access to new facilities and fantastic opportunities.

"These schools are on top of the 69 new or relocated schools that have been built by this State Government," she said.

Mr Dick said more than 2000 graduate teachers were expected to be employed in permanent and temporary positions throughout the year, to match the increasing number of schools and students in 2012,

"We've provided funding for up to 300 additional teachers and teacher aides in 2012, with final teacher numbers depending on upcoming enrolments," Mr Dick said.

"This is in addition to the 42,000 educators already employed in Queensland's more than 1200 state schools.

"This brings to more than 10,000 the number of extra teachers employed by the Labor Government since 1998, as well as more than 3000 extra teacher aides."

Mr Dick said all state school students in Years 9 to 12 would start the 2012 year with access to a computer, following the successful rollout of 110,000 new computers through the National Secondary School Computer Fund (NSSCF).

"We are proud to say the State and Federal governments have achieved their target of one computer for each senior student by the end of last year," Mr Dick said.

"The NSSCF is a key component of the Australian Government's Digital Education Revolution initiative which has committed more than $217 million across the state to purchasing computers and other ICT devices in schools," Mr Dick said.

"Teachers and students are supported in schools with more computers and better technology than ever before."

For more information on state schooling this year, view the Department of Education and Training's 2012 Back to School Media Kit: http://education.qld.gov.au/news/btsmedia/.

Premier and Minister for Reconstruction
The Honourable Anna Bligh

Education and Industrial Relations
The Honourable Cameron Dick
22/01/2012
Back to school - 2012

Permanent Link: Back to school - 2012
Publish Date: 23 Jan 12

All articles submitted by third parties or written by My Sunshine Coast come under our Disclaimer / Terms of Service