High schools revamped under government program

A new three-storey learning centre and refurbished facilities have been unveiled at 110-year-old Bundaberg State High School.

Education Minister Grace Grace said the $12 million investment was delivered through the Queensland Government’s $235 million Renewing Our Schools (ROS) program.

“The Palaszczuk government is committed to providing better services for Queenslanders, and there’s no doubt that our students deserve state-of-the-art facilities to learn in,” she said.

The school now has a new three-storey learning centre that includes a new library and science classrooms, a renewed administration space for 30 teacher aides, five refurbished general learning areas, upgrades to the sports courts and new bathrooms.

Bundaberg SHS Principal Christopher Gill said the projects have enabled the school to expand curriculum offerings and created more opportunities for students.

“To have a new multi-storey learning centre in a school more than a century old has transformed teaching and learning in a significant way,” he said.

“It means we are delivering a STEM Advanced Manufacturing program in world-class facilities, with an extra three specialist science classrooms, three general learning spaces, a new library and conference rooms that match staff and student needs for 21st-century learning.”

The Member for Bundaberg, Tom Smith, said the infrastructure investment also supports the broader Bundaberg community in addition to benefiting local young people.

“The STEM Advanced Manufacturing program meets the future needs of local industries while creating genuine career pathways for students,” he said.

“Just a few weeks ago Minister Grace and I visited Kepnock State High School to announce a $9.4 million upgrade to the school’s Industrial Design and Technology Facilities, as well as $440,000 to refurbish learning spaces there.

“Other projects for Bundaberg schools announced in last month’s budget include $1.3 million for a new security fence and refurbishments at Bundaberg Central State School, $550,000 to refurbish the resource centre at Bundaberg North SHS and $880,000 to upgrade learning and admin spaces at Bundaberg South SS.”

Grace said during 2022–23 the government is delivering an overall education infrastructure investment portfolio valued at $1.9 billion.

State school students in the region will also benefit from other features of the $16.5 billion education budget including:

• 675 extra teachers and nearly 200 extra teacher aides in 2022–23 as part of an ongoing commitment to employ more than 6100 new teachers and 1100 teacher aides.
• $20 million for playground and tuckshop upgrades.
• The $100 million, four-year Go for Gold Fund for new and upgraded sports infrastructure for schools across the state.
• $80.6 million to support schools to transition to a new resourcing model for students with disability.
• $15.5 million for respectful relationships education.
• $13.3 million to expand the partnership with Queensland-based charity Share the Dignity, giving all state schools the opportunity to install a vending machine that provides free period products.
• Additional funding as part of a kindergarten funding reform package worth more than $1 billion over the next five years.
   

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Stuart Miles