Department of Education (Queensland)

The Department of Education is a ministerial department of the Queensland Government responsible for the administration and quality of education in Queensland, Australia.[6] The department is composed of two separate portfolios, Education Queensland and Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC).[6] The department also encompasses the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, a separate statutory authority responsible for creating syllabuses, curriculums, and assessment.[5]

Department of Education
Department overview
Formed10 September 1875 (1875-09-10)[1]
Preceding agencies
  • Department of Public Instruction[2]
  • Department of Education and Training[2]
  • Department of Education, Training and Employment[2]
  • Department of Education, Training and the Arts[2]
JurisdictionQueensland Government
Headquarters30 Mary Street, Brisbane, Australia[3]
Ministers responsible
Department executives
Child department
Website

History
Further information: History of state education in Queensland

In 1875, the Department of Public Instruction was created, providing free, secular and compulsory education to all Queensland children.[2]

In 1957, the Department of Public Instruction was renamed to the Department of Education.[2]

Throughout 1990–1991, the Department of Education went through major restructuring following the release of the report, Focus on Schools.[2]

In February 2004, the Department of Education and the Arts was created.[2]

In 2006–07, the Department of Education, Training and the Arts (DETA) was created.[2]

In 2008–09, machinery of government changes replaced DETA with the Department of Education and Training, which was then restructured into the Department of Education[2]

In October 2015, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Education Kate Jones released the Advancing education action plan. The plan, which became the foundations of the Advancing education campaign, is described by the department as "a greater focus on active partnerships with the community and strengthening teacher excellence" and has overwhelming support from Queensland citizens.[7] Broadly, the plan focuses on:[7]

  • improving the quality and accessibility of early childhood
  • increasing participation and passion for STEM subjects and globally-orientated courses such as languages
  • ongoing education pathways to universities, vocational education providers, and industry
  • lifting literacy and numeracy standards
  • improving student wellbeing
  • heavy investments in education infrastructure
  • improving the standard of teachers and increasing teacher numbers

Structure and responsibilities

The Department of Education is formed from two separate portfolios, Education Queensland and Early Childhood Education and Care, each with separate responsibilities. Broadly, the department is responsible for the administration and quality of state education, and the quality of private education, throughout Queensland.[6]

The head of the department is the minister for education, who has the authority to direct any school to act in the public interest, direct a school to administer assessment, and issue scholarships and allowances.[8] Currently, the director-general is Tony Cook, and the minister for education is Grace Grace.[9][10] The department is governed by its management board, composed of the director-general, the assistant director-general, all deputy director-generals, and the executive director.[4]

Education Queensland

Education Queensland, sometimes just called Education is responsible for primary and secondary schooling in Queensland, and the creation and administration of syllabuses and curriculums through the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority.[5]

Early Childhood Education and Care

Early Childhood Education and Care is responsible for regulating and administering the National Quality Framework (NQF) in Queensland, as well as the Education and Care Services Act 2013 (ECS Act).[11] The NQF stipulates the federal funding and quality of most education and care service providers, and is formed from national law and regulation, and the National Quality Standard.[12] The ECS Act regulates providers and services not covered by the NQF, with the state government funding these services.[13]

Early Childhood Education and Care, as part of their administration of the NQF and ECS Act, provide funding to education and care providers.[11] This funding comes from one of three streams: Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme (establishment and ongoing quality of education and care), Kindergarten Inclusion Support Scheme (accessibility resources), or Early Years Services Funding (general services).[14][15][16]

State education fees

Under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, the cost of state schooling and kindergarten is met by the state for all Australian citizens and permanent residents, and their children. This includes distance education, if living in a remote community. Specialised education is not fully funded by the state government, but the cost may be waived by the chief executive. For those not eligible for state-covered education, the chief executive may issue a charge for education services. The principal of any state school may ask the parent of a student, or the student for adult learners, to make a voluntary contribution towards the administration and maintenance of the school, however there is no requirement for parents to pay, and donations make no difference in the provision of education for a student.[8]

See also

References
  1. "The State Education Acts, 1875 to 1957" (PDF). Supreme Court Library of Queensland. 1957. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  2. "Chronology of education in Queensland". Education Queensland. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  3. "Contact us". Education Queensland. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  4. "Organisational structure" (PDF). Department of Education. October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  5. "Education (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority) Act 2014". Queensland Legislation. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  6. "About the Department of Education". Department of Education. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  7. "Our plan". Advancing education. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  8. "Education (General Provisions) Act 2006". Queensland Legislation. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  9. "Director-General". Department of Education. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  10. "Minister for Education". Department of Education. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  11. "What we do". Early Childhood Education and Care. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  12. "National Quality Framework". Early Childhood Education and Care. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  13. "Education and Care Services Act 2013". Early Childhood Education and Care. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  14. "Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme". Early Childhood Education and Care. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  15. "Kindergarten Inclusion Support Scheme". Early Childhood Education and Care. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  16. "Early Years Services Funding". Early Childhood Education and Care. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
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