Bells ring to welcome Queensland students back to school

• 2024 school year officially starts for more than 880,000 Queensland students
• More than 575,000 students enrolled at Queensland’s 1,264 state schools in 2024 and 305,000 in Queensland’s 545 non-state schools,
• 43,000 preppies among 325,000 state school primary students and 250,000 state school secondary students.
• Free Kindy means in 2024, 64,000 Queensland children now have access to free quality kindergarten.

School is officially in for 2024 with Queensland schools welcoming more than 880,000 students on day one of the new education year.

More than 575,000 students enrolled at Queensland’s 1,264 state schools in 2024, including approximately 43,000 Prep students who are beginning their education journey, all guided by more than 55,000 teachers and nearly 19,000 teacher aides at schools across the state.

Around 305,000 students are expected to be attending Queensland’s 545 Independent and Catholic schools this year.

Today, the first cohort of 94 foundation students at the new Scenic Shores State School in Redlands also rushed through the gates of their new $74.9 million primary school.

The opening of two new primary schools this year ( total value $160 million) brings the total to 27 new schools opened since 2015 by the Queensland Government with a total investment of $3 billion.

During the same period 77 new school halls and performing arts centres have opened, many serving as community hubs. A further 26 will be delivered before the end of this year.

The Miles Government is committed to giving all Queensland children a great start in 2024 and $2.1 billion in 2023-24 is being investing to build, maintain and upgrade schools and early childhood facilities, supporting 3,700 jobs.

Three new schools are planned to be delivered in fast growing areas around Queensland in 2025 and 2026.  

Term 1 2024 will mark the start of our new ‘away for the day’ approach to student use of mobile phones in Queensland state schools. All students and parents are encouraged to talk with their teachers and school leaders about the arrangements at their school to help students focus on their learning free from the distraction of their mobile phone during school hours.

Free Kindy is the biggest reform in the Queensland’s early childhood education sector in over 10 years, with the total investment in kindergarten now $2 billion over 4 years.

It means in 2024, 64,000 Queensland children now have access to free quality kindergarten. Families will benefit from free kindy as it will remove cost as a barrier to participation in kindergarten, easing cost of living pressures for Queensland families.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Education Di Farmer:

“While I want to give a special welcome to all the Preppies, who are just starting their learning adventures, today is a super exciting day for all students, mums and dads, our staff and school communities, and it’s a very special day to be the Queensland Minister for Education.

“I am extremely proud of every single one of our 1264 state schools their teachers and other school staff because they do such a good job with our kids.

“We are investing $17.8 billion in our education system this year because we believe no matter who you are or where you are in Queensland you deserve the same access to a high quality education.”

Media Contact: Gary Shipway 0458 090906

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