11.0 Invest in infrastructure and facilities
The Queensland Government has an obligation to ensure that all state schools have physical facilities that meet modern 21st Century learning needs. The QTU believes the Queensland Government should embark on a 21st Century school modernisation program that includes continuing to invest in new schools in areas of population growth and replacement of existing school facilities in line with the Department of Education’s Asset Life Cycle Assessments (ALCA) and individual school strategic infrastructure plans (SIP).
The demand for places in state schools and special schools means that there is an urgent need to build great state schools. State school infrastructure should be included in economic stimulus packages for recovery from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional special schools and special education programs are needed to serve students across Queensland and to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Additional positive learning centres are also required to ensure some students with complex needs continue to access educational opportunities
11.1 School renewal fund
The rapid growth in student enrolment in Queensland state schools requires urgent investment in new schools and renewal of existing facilities. The QTU acknowledges the planning of new schools to accommodate enrolment growth and calls for comprehensive medium and long-term planning and funding to ensure that all Queenslanders have access to free and secular state schools in their local community.
Rapid and sustained increases in student numbers in state schools are also creating significant pressure on the facilities in existing schools. The QTU acknowledges the appropriate use of temporary buildings is a necessary part of managing significant demand for school buildings and the potential for population movement to render expensive facilities unusable. However, plans must be made for the replacement of temporary buildings with permanent classrooms and the construction of additional facilities to accommodate new personnel appointed to existing schools.
Areas of particular concern requiring action include: replacement of a generation of schools and school buildings; an upgrade of the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure to address problems that became evident with the move to remote learning in Term 2 of 2020; and the ongoing need to build additional schools to cater for population growth.
11.2 Special schools
Additional special schools, special education programs, and facilities, which will meet the needs of students with disability, are needed to support the dignity, entitlement, and human rights of every young Queenslander. The QTU believes the Queensland Government must develop a plan for school infrastructure that includes building and staffing to deliver additional special schools as a matter of priority.
11.3 Maintenance
An inequitable funding model, which currently sees the federal government provide significant infrastructure and maintenance support to the private sector but not to state schools, and a lack of sufficient maintenance resources from the Queensland Government, has seen immense need for on-going maintenance and upgrading of school facilities. Currently Queensland state school students only received 28 per cent of the funding needed for school infrastructure investment (AEU 2022). The state government must commit to providing sufficient funding to ensure that schools can maintain their infrastructure and provide safe and comfortable places of learning.
State schools provide educational opportunities for all learners, and at times this requires an upgrade to school facilities (i.e. new fencing to ensure safety of students) in order to provide equitable access. The state government must centrally fund these upgrade or changes needed to infrastructure.
RECOMMENDATIONS
62. Include school infrastructure within the COVID-19 economic stimulus package to ensure new schools and facilities, including special schools, are established and ensure older facilities and ICT infrastructure are replaced and upgraded.
63. Continue to deliver, with the Commonwealth Government, a capital works program for state schools that ensures that every young Queenslander can access modern, state-of-the-art school facilities and services in their community, including an increase to the allocation to the School Renewal Fund.
64. Provide sufficient funding for maintenance of school infrastructure and for any upgrades that are needed to manage students with special needs in state school settings.
QTU State Budget Submission 2023-24