Gold Coast schools set to be ‘2020 Ready’

Students on the Gold Coast are set to benefit from the Palaszczuk Government’s $250 million Budget commitment to build additional classrooms to support a new era in Queensland’s education from 2020. 

Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon said the ‘2020 Ready’ funding boost would support eight high schools on the Gold Coast to accommodate the first full complement of secondary students in Years 7 to 12. 

“The Palaszczuk Government is proud to be delivering the infrastructure needed to provide Gold Coast students with a world-class education,” Ms Scanlon said.  

“In 2020, for the very first time in Queensland’s history, our high schools will have a full complement of students across all six year levels. 

“Our Government’s $250 million boost will ensure schools on the Gold Coast can accommodate the additional students expected in our high schools in 2020 and into the future. 

“At Pimpama State Secondary College, over $24 million will be spent on new classroom buildings and a performing arts centre with two dance studios, two drama studios, one multimedia learning area and a new car park. 

“Helensvale State High will receive a new classroom building, valued at more than $13 million. 

“And Palm Beach Currumbin State High will see over $9.2 million invested to deliver a new three storey secondary learning centre with extra classrooms. 

“Here in my electorate of Gaven, Pacific Pines State High School will receive a new $8 million, two storey learning centre with 12 extra classrooms and design studios.  

“These are just come of the Gold Coast schools receiving millions of dollars for new buildings, classrooms and significant refurbishments to support their students.”  

Education Minister Grace Grace said the Palaszczuk Government’s $250 million infrastructure investment would support an anticipated 17,000 additional students across the state. 

“This funding is a major boost which will mean more than $470 million has been invested by this Government over the period 2017-18 to 2019-20 to increase the capacity of our state secondary schools,” she said. 

“This infrastructure program is about making sure we are ‘2020 Ready’. 

“The ‘2020 Ready’ program signals the next phase of Queensland’s major education reforms, which started more than a decade ago. 

“In 2007, the State Labor Government gave Queensland children a flying start with the introduction of prep, which we supported with additional, specialist classrooms for preppies. 

“As you may remember, Queensland’s first intake of preppies were those whose birthdays were in the first half of the calendar year – meaning theirs has always been a much smaller cohort of students, known as the ‘half cohort’. 

“Our next educational reform came in 2015, when we moved Year 7 into high school and established six years of secondary education, which was also supported with significant infrastructure investment. 

“However, our smaller ‘half cohort’ has been in high school since 2015 too – meaning we have never had the full complement of students across all six year levels in our secondary schools.”  

Ms Grace said, until now and through to 2020, our high schools had been cushioned against the impact of having six full year levels of students.  

“With the original Prep students set to graduate from high school at the end of 2019, we will have – for the very first time – six full year levels of students in Queensland secondary schools from 2020,” she said. 

“This new $250 million investment for additional classrooms will prepare those schools identified as requiring additional capacity for the additional students expected in 2020.” 

GOLD COAST SCHOOLS ‘2020 READY’ PROJECTS IN 2018-19 – 2019-20