UPDATE:
THREE new schools will be built in the Ipswich region if Labor is re-elected.
Two of the new schools will be in the Ripley Valley, due to open in 2020.
One will be a high school, the other a primary school.
The primary school will cater for 1000 students and the high school will cater for 1500 students.
The third school is a new primary school for Springfield West and will be constructed under a public-private partnership.
Ripley Valley was classified as a priority development area by the Queensland Government in 2010 and is predicted to become home to 120,000 people in the coming years.
South Ripley is one of the top five fastest-growing regions in Ipswich, according to the council’s latest planning and development report.
Between March and June, the population of South Ripley increased by 25.77% and is now home to 1,519 people.
There are about 500 homes already built in South Ripley, according to the council’s latest figures, and significant residential development in the pipeline.
The major school funding announcement was part of a state-wide funding commitment to improving educational facilities, worth $308 million in new funding.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Labor would also deliver up to $235 million to 2021-22 to renew and refurbish 17 ageing high schools.
“This funding will provide at least $10 million to each school to build new learning facilities and carry out major upgrades,” she said.
“The schools we have identified for this program are more than 30 years old and require this extra an injection to bring them up to a quality standard students and teachers deserve.
“This is on top of our rolling $750 million funds over four years to maintain Queensland’s 25,000 school buildings across 1239 schools.”
New schools to be delivered
New Primary Schools
• Springfield West (last public-private partnership school to be delivered)
• Ripley Valley
New Special School
• Caboolture area
New Secondary Schools
• North Lakes/Mango Hill
• Coomera/Pimpama
• Yarrabilba
• Calliope (West of Gladstone)
• Fortitude Valley Brisbane
• Brisbane Inner City south
• Ripley Valley (Ipswich)
Planning for new schools
Primary Schools
• Palmview
• Logan Reserve
• Shaw (Townsville)
• Mount Peter (Cairns)
Special Schools
• Northern Gold Coast
• Sunshine Coast
Secondary Schools
• Caloundra South
High School Renewal
This investment will support 17 high schools across Queensland, all more than 30 years old.
The 17 schools are:
•Aspley State High School
•Bundaberg State High School
•Cairns State High School
•Mansfield State High School
•Mitchelton State High School
•Toowoomba State High School
•Corinda State High School
•Proserpine State High School
•Springwood State High School
•Maryborough State High School
•Indooroopilly State High School
•Tropical North Learning Academy (Smithfield State High School/Trinity Beach State High School)
•Sarina State High School
•Heatley Secondary College
• Everton Park State High School
•Ferny Grove State High School
INITIAL:
TWO new schools have just been announced for Ipswich.
Both are due to open in 2020.
One will be a high school, the other a primary school, to be built in the rapidly growing Ripley Valley.
The primary school will cater for 1000 students and the high school will cater for 1500 students.
The investment is worth $95 million.
The announcement is part of the Labor Party’s election campaign heading into the November 25 poll.
More to come.
Originally Published: www.centraltelegraph.com.au