Logan schools set to be ‘2020 Ready’

Logan schools 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.

Employment Minister and Member for Waterford Shannon Fentiman said the ‘2020 Ready’ funding boost would support five local schools 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 Logan students with a world-class education,” Minister Fentiman 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 across Queensland can accommodate the additional students expected in our high schools in 2020 and into the future.

“At Marsden State High, $2.5 million will be spent to convert the existing junior secondary building into additional classrooms,” she said.

Member for Macalister Melissa McMahon said that over $8.2 million would be spent at Beenleigh State High on a new two storey learning centre with additional classrooms.

“It’s also fantastic that Windaroo Valley State High will receive $4.2 million to build a new single storey learning centre with additional classrooms,” Ms McMahon said.

Member for Jordan Charis Mullen welcomed the almost $5 million for the Flagstone State Community College’s new special education unit.

“Also as part of this program, the College has already had two new temporary buildings completed in November 2017,” Ms Mullen said.

Member for Logan Linus Power also welcomed funding for the Park Ridge State High School, which will see $6.8 million spent on a new two storey secondary learning centre.

“This infrastructure program is about making sure we are ‘2020 Ready’,” said Mr Power.

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 and it 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.

“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.”

LOGAN PROJECTS FOR ‘2020 READY’ IN 2018-19 – 2019-20

• Beenleigh State High $8.2 million for new classroom building
• Flagstone State Community College $4.9 million for new special education unit
• Marsden State High $2.5 million for new classrooms
• Park Ridge State High $6.8 million for new classroom building
• Windaroo Valley State High $4.2 million for new classroom building

Media contact:

Elly Begley 0429 065 457