Education Minister welcomes five sets of twins at Ormeau State School

• Education Minister visits Ormeau State School on first day of school year
• Five sets of twins start Prep at Ormeau State School
• Minister welcomed Ormeau State School’s 910 students and120 staff and wished them all the best in the new school year

Education Minister Di Farmer has opened the gates at Ormeau State School on the first day of school for 2024.

Minister Farmer welcomed students, teachers, school staff and parents and wished them success on this year’s journey of learning.

Amazingly Ormeau State School has five sets of twins starting Prep in 2024. Of the five pairs of siblings, three are identical.

Three Prep classes at Ormeau State School will get a set of twins each. The other two sets will be separated between two other classrooms.

Quotes attributable to Education Minister Di Farmer:

“It’s an exciting day …I am delighted to be at Ormeau State School as the new Education Minister to open the new school year and to welcome all the twins, teachers and students.

“It’s a super exciting day for all students, mums and dads, and school communities.

“I particularly want to acknowledge our teachers and principals and other school staff in every single one of our 1264 state schools because there is not much more you can ask a person to do than when you hand over your children and say ‘can you help make them good people and human beings.’

“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.”

Explainer/fast fact and or further information:

• More than 575,000 students enrolled at Queensland’s 1,264 state schools in 2024.
• 43,000 preppies among 325,000 state school primary students and 250,000 state school secondary students.
• There are 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.
• The first cohort of 94 foundation students began at the new $74.9 million Scenic Shores State School in Redlands.
• Free Kindy means in 2024, 64,000 Queensland children now have access to free quality kindergarten. It will be 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.
• 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 planned to be delivered this year.
• $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.

Media Contact: Gary Shipway 0458 090 906