The Queensland Government has pledged it will build 10 new schools to meet growing student demand around the state.

Minister for Education, Training and Employment John-Paul Langbroek said since coming into office the government had undertaken the biggest schools planning task in Queensland’s history.

“We recognise that Queensland’s student population is growing rapidly so for the first time ever a Schools Planning Commission has been established to identify the areas where schools are needed most,” Mr Langbroek said.

“The ground work has been done and we can now announce the project that will deliver 10 news schools to Queensland’s growth hot spots.”

Mr Langbroek said new schools will be built in Pimpama, Burpengary, Pallara, Ripley Valley, Springfield, Griffin, Bellbird Park, Caboolture and Redbank Plains.

He said the 10 new schools would consist of two secondary and eight primary schools, catering for up to 10,800 students during peak periods of enrolment.

“The schools will employ up to 540 teachers and 130 non-teaching positions, with the first schools expected to be open for the commencement of the 2015 academic year,” Mr Langbroek said.

“This Project will provide the government with an opportunity to further innovate the ways schools are designed, built and maintained.”

Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the project was an innovative public-private partnership that would see private companies contracted to finance, design, construct and maintain the package of schools.

“It will not only deliver value for money for Queensland taxpayers, but importantly it will improve educational outcomes by allowing principals and teachers to concentrate on education while maintenance and upkeep of the facilities is taken care of,” Mr Nicholls said.

The short-listed bidders are:

·         Inspire Schools Partnership (Leighton Contractors Infrastructure Partners Fund; Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.4) Limited, Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd.)

·         Edvantage (Plenary Group Pty Ltd, Palisade Investment Partners Limited, Watpac Construction Pty Ltd, Delta FM Australia Pty Ltd.)

·         Exemplar Education (Lend Lease Infrastructure Investments Pty Ltd, JANA Investment Advisors Pty Ltd, Baulderstone Queensland Pty Ltd, Spotless Facility Services Pty Ltd)

·         Bright Futures Partnership (Bilfinger Project Investment International Holding GmbH, J Hutchinson Pty Ltd, Transfield Services (Australia) Pty Ltd)