11.0 Invest in infrastructure and facilities
Queensland state schools sit at the heart of every community in the state. Investing in replacement and upgrade facilities in state schools is a direct investment in the quality of community life and maximises the educational opportunities for all students, no matter where they live. That is why 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 plan a 21st Century staged 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 remains high as the Queensland community grows. Building upon existing planning for new state primary and high schools across the state, planning for additional special schools and special education programs is also needed to serve students across Queensland and to meet the needs of students with disabilities. The QTU believes that the Queensland Government should also embark on the planning and delivery of a network of positive learning centres across the state, to ensure some students with complex needs continue to access educational opportunities while making state schools safe and healthy workplaces and learning environments. In addition, the QTU is of the view that the state government needs to consider if the provision of early childhood education and care centres should be co-located on some state school sites, to enable families and kindy students easy access to these programs.
The Queensland Government has delivered a successful program of new school development across the state. This program should continue, with adequate capital works funding allocated for staged completion of new facilities to meet projection and actual enrolment growth.
11.1 School renewal fund
The rapid expected 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.
The rapid and sustained increase in student numbers expected in state schools is also creating significant pressure on the facilities in existing schools. The QTU acknowledges that 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: effective master planning and capital investment for the replacement of a generation of schools and school buildings, an upgrade of the ICT infrastructure to enable 21st Century learning, and the ongoing need to build additional schools to cater for population growth.
11.2 Special education facilities
Additional special schools, special education programs, and facilities that will meet the needs of students with disability are needed to support the dignity, entitlements, and human rights of every young Queenslander. The QTU believes that, as a matter of priority, the Queensland Government must develop a plan for school infrastructure, including buildings and staffing, to deliver additional special schools and capital funding for inclusive physical environments across all state schools.
11.3 Maintenance
A lack of sufficient maintenance resources from the Queensland Government and an inequitable funding A lack of sufficient maintenance resources from the Queensland Government and 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, has resulted in immense need for on-going maintenance and upgrading of state school facilities. A by-product of under-resourcing in this area is increased workload intensification for school leaders and business managers in the management of aging facilities. Currently,
Queensland state school students only receive 28 per cent of the funding needed for school infrastructure investment (AEU, 2022). The state government must commit to providing additional recurrent funding to ensure that schools are able to maintain their infrastructure and provide safe and comfortable places of learning. Additional allocations are required to support school-based administrative and non-teaching roles, including grounds and facilities allocations, given the current inequitable allocations relating to enrolment vs land size, the increasing impacts of an aging facilities stock, and the workload and cost implications of the current constraints in the construction industry.
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 upgrades or changes.
RECOMMENDATIONS
81. 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.
82. 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.
83. Increase investment in the full breadth of school-based roles to adequately support corporate and
administrative services in catering for workload intensification associated with devolved system accountabilities, aging facilities stock, and the increasing cost and workload implications of the current constraints in the construction industry.
84. Ensure planning for new state schools continues in all growth corridors across the state, including adequate capital works allocations for staged completion of new facilities.
QTU State Budget Submission 2024-25