A record budget of $1.464 billion has been allocated by the State Government for education infrastructure projects to build new schools and upgrade the existing ones, including Morningside State School.
Education Minister Grace Grace said that under the Queensland Government 2019-20 Budget, eight state schools will receive funding for planned enhancement and construction of new facilities this year.
“Over the past 12 months, my department has undertaken master planning of 35 inner city schools in Brisbane to ensure they have the infrastructure they need for the future,” Minister Grace said.
“I am pleased that this year’s budget includes funding to start bringing these master plans to fruition at eight schools – Toowong, Newmarket, Brisbane Central, New Farm, Morningside, Ithaca Creek, Windsor and Petrie Terrace state schools.
“This will see new and enhanced classrooms, libraries, canteens and administration areas built at these schools, which will make these great schools even better.
Rebuild and Recovery
The 2018 Morningside SS fire resulted in the loss of six classrooms, a music classroom, an art room, as well as smoke and water damage to the adjacent areas.
The Department of Education placed three new buildings to replace the six classrooms spaces gutted by the fire. Plans for the replacement of the fire damaged school buildings is already being developed in coordination with the school.
Under the Budget 2019-20, $1.5 million will be allocated for the Morningside State School replacement building / fire rectification project.
School air-conditioning projects and four new state schools
The state will also invest an additional $100 million, spread over four years, for priority state school air-conditioning projects. This will bring the government’s total investment to $191 million over five years.
“This will include urgent replacement of air-conditioning units in schools in the Cooler Schools Zone and other priority school air-conditioning projects as identified through a review of state school air-conditioning needs,” Ms Grace said.
Photo Credit: The State of Queensland (Department of Education) 2019 / morningsidess.eq.edu.au
Also included in the announcement is the allocation of funds for four additional new state schools to be built across the state.
“New primary and special schools will be built at Palmview and a new secondary school will be built at Caloundra South on the Sunshine Coast, and a new primary school will be built at Pimpama on the Gold Coast,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.
“These new state schools will enrol students for day 1, 2021 along with the new Inner City South State Secondary College, which we’re delivering in Dutton Park for Brisbane’s inner southern suburbs.
“This investment will see the total number of new schools opened by my government since 2015 increase to 26.”
