TWENTY Redlands schools have been promised air conditioning in the next two years under an ambitious state program announced on Thursday.
More than $477 million in state government funding will go towards air conditioning every classroom, library and staff room in Queensland state schools, with an extra $71 million to be put towards installing 80,000 solar panels on school rooftops.
About 10,000 classrooms in 650 state schools were set to benefit from air conditioning installations by mid-2022.
This included 301 schools announced in November for installation over the summer school holidays.
Under the Cooler Cleaner Schools Program, the government would also fund the maintenance and replacement of existing air conditioning units in Queensland state schools.
Ms Grace said the government had done an audit of state schools to identify the spaces that were air-conditioned.
"I want to thank the hard work done by P&Cs and school communities who have also installed air-conditioning at their local schools," she said.
Redlands MP Kim Richards said the announcement was a great outcome for all local schools in her electorate.
"In the Redlands electorate, 173 spaces at seven local schools will benefit from this announcement."
Oodgeroo MP Mark Robinson said air conditioning all Queensland public schools was the right thing to do but criticised Labor for backflipping on its stance.
It came after Education Minister Grace Grace said that it could take 10 years or more to air condition all Queensland schools.
The announcement comes a month after Redlands LNP candidate Henry Pike and Ms Richards clashed on the state of school air conditioning in the Redlands.
More than 800 frustrated parents signed a petition for air conditioning to be brought to Redlands schools.
In response to the latest announcement, Mr Pike said the 300 school target set for air conditioning over the summer school holidays had not been met.
"What makes them think they can complete all Queensland schools within two years?"
Bowman MP Andrew Laming said it was not believable that all 1249 schools statewide would be air-conditioned in the next two years.
"With Labor entering the twilight of their terrible administration, promises and accusations will get bigger, crazier and more desperate," he said.
Ms Richards said in January that some schools on the list were already partly air conditioned.
"But Thornlands State School and Macleay Island State School still have additional spaces to be air-conditioned - this government funding will allow these and other local schools to build on the great work already done by P&Cs and the wider school communities," she said.
Redlands schools on the state government's list for the Cooler Cleaner Schools Program are:
- Alexandra Hills State High School
- Alexandra Hills State School
- Bay View State School
- Birkdale South State School
- Birkdale State School
- Capalaba State College
- Cleveland District State High School
- Cleveland State School
- Coolnwynpin State School
- Dunwich State School
- Hilliard State School
- Mount Cotton State School
- Macleay Island State School
- Ormiston State School
- Thornlands State School
- Victoria Point State School
- Victoria Point State High School
- Vienna Woods State School
- Wellington Point State High School
- Wellington Point State School