Teacher numbers will be boosted and parents will have a say on school discipline under the Liberal National Party's (LNP) new $262 million education plan unveiled Saturday.
LNP leader Lawrence Springborg unveiled the plan at the party's first state council meeting in Townsville, in northern Queensland.
In front of more than 150 delegates, Mr Springborg said the LNP would focus on achieving smaller classes, better academic results and greater parental involvement if it wins government at the next election.
The policy comes after a national report card showed Queensland schools have the worst literacy and numeracy rates of all state schools in Australia.
"Education is the best long-term economic policy," Mr Springborg said.
"The LNP believes real education outcomes for our children are more important than politically driven targets and Smart State slogans for government advertising."
Key components of the LNP education policy include:
- Providing an extra 150 teachers in years one to three at a cost of $48 million over four years to help reduce class sizes
- The progressive introduction of full-time teacher aides into prep classes at a cost of $45 million over four years
- An extra 105 teachers for special needs students at a cost of $33.6 million over four years
- Giving parents a say in school behaviour codes
- $100 million over four years to address the school maintenance backlog, over and above already budgeted programs.
The plan also aims to boost air conditioning in schools, support counsellors and computer services.
"This strategy is central to our plan to attack the decline in literacy and numeracy," Mr Springborg said.
"This, coupled with our plan to implement a joint interstate curriculum will boost learning and put Queensland youngsters back at the top of the class in Australian education."
