Queensland’s regional and remote teachers will receive extra support to cover housing costs in next week’s State Budget.
The Queensland Government’s $20.9 billion education budget will include an extra $45 million over three years to meet increased demand and costs for subsidized teacher accommodation.
Premier Steve Miles said the extra investment was aimed at attracting and retaining teachers in rural and remote schools.
The Budget will also allocate an extra $1 billion, over five years, to deliver better learning environments and more than 2000 teaching support staff and professional resources to help students living with disability.
“This funding will mean students living with disability will have more tailored resources and support,” Premier Miles said.
He said almost $200 million would be allocated to the early learning and primary school cohorts through an increase of free kindy hours to 30 hours per week for four-year-olds in discrete communities and integrated early year services in Aurukun and Kowanyama.
The funding would also provide for 36 early childhood coordinators and an expansion of supported playgroups where children experienced vulnerability and disadvantage.
Eighty four Family Support Coordinators would also be funded to work with high-needs state primary school children in 219 state primary schools.
Premier Miles said 85 behaviour specialists would be placed in primary and special schools and a trial of health practitioners would begin at 20 high priority primary schools.
Other Education Budget funding items include:
- $15 million in funding for the School and Community Food Relief Program including $10.7m for the Department of Education to deliver food programs in schools from Term 3, 2024, in addition to the $2m in funding for food programs received in Term 4 2023.
- $21 million, over four years, to continue the GPs in Schools Program providing 50 Queensland state schools with secondary-aged students access to a free primary health care service one-day per week.
- $65.5 million, over three years, for additional projects under the Playgrounds and Tuckshops Program.
- $151 million for new school projects including a new primary school in Park Ridge and a new secondary school in Collingwood Park, both set to open in 2025.
- $4.9 million, over two years, to continue the Homework Centre programs in schools. This program provides funding for on-site support for students in up to 120 state schools to complete homework outside of school hours.
- $500 million, over four years, to plan and deliver high-quality learning environments to meet enrolment needs.
