EARLY START FOR QUEENSLAND TEACHERS

More than 36,000 Queensland state school teachers are heading back to school early to prepare for the start of the school year on Monday.

Education Minister, Rod Welford, said teachers were heading back today (Thursday) – ahead of their students – to finalise preparations for a busy year ahead.

“Principals will be inducting new staff, reviewing the school’s 2006 achievements and planning their priorities for the school year ahead,” Mr Welford said.

”Many schools will be getting ready for Prep and there will be curriculum meetings undertaken to ensure everything is in order for Monday.

“While Prep is the most significant new initiative this year, schools will also be implementing the new Code of School Behaviour and tuckshops will be introducing new ‘Healthy Choices’ menus.

“We are also stepping up our campaign on literacy – schools are being given extra funds to provide intensive tuition over two years for those students in Years 6 and 7 who do not achieve the Year 5 literacy benchmark.

“Schools will be able to provide up to 15 hours of tutoring to boost literacy to ensure students have the skills and confidence to enter high school.”

“Getting ready for Prep has also meant one of the largest capital works programs in our history with more than 1600 classrooms built or refurbished to accommodate students.

“Another 280 new classrooms have been provided to accommodate enrolment growth, including four new schools - Burpengary Meadows State School, Springfield Lakes State School, Isabella State School south of Cairns and a new middle school at Redlynch in Cairns.

Mr Welford said more than 370 extra teachers were set to join Queensland’s state schools this year to meet enrolment growth, including the introduction of the historic Prep Year.

“The total number of teachers working in state schools will be more than 36,000,” he said.

“The increase in teachers will support population growth, the introduction of the Prep Year and our commitment to reduce class sizes in Years 4 to 10 – the middle phase of learning.

“Additional teachers will join schools in areas of significant population growth including Cairns, the Gold Coast, and the northern Brisbane corridor from Burpengary to Caloundra.

“More than 500 graduates have been appointed to commence teaching at state schools for the first time in 2007, with most beginning their careers in regional and rural Queensland.

“Most of the new graduate teachers will begin their careers in regional and rural Queensland.

“This is an exciting time for these graduates. They have earned their university degrees after years of hard work and are now ready and keen to apply their knowledge to Queensland classrooms.

“I welcome our new recruits and wish them well in their careers.”

Regional allocations of graduate teachers:
Darling Downs and South West Queensland - 53
Far North Queensland - 47
Fitzroy Central West Queensland - 61
Greater Brisbane - 5
Mackay Whitsunday - 39
Moreton - 50
North Queensland - 88
South Coast - 64
Sunshine Coast - 105
WideBay Burnett - 42

Media contact: Greg Milne on 32371000