The 2009-10 annual report was published online this week, featuring a series of vodcasts, photographs and stories that present an interactive overview of the department's key achievements over the last financial year. Some of the highlights for the year to June 2010 include extensive community consultation around the A Flying Start for Queensland Children discussion paper, important legislative changes for early childhood education and care, and the repositioning of our TAFE institutes to better meet industry needs. We were also successful in integrating the three arms of the department together at regional level, strengthening links between sectors and improving our overall service delivery. The 2009-10 annual report details an extensive range of accomplishments that we can all be proud of. I encourage staff to download the interactive report from the DET website.
More central governing bodies for kindergartens
Five key early childhood organisations are joining together to help guide the rollout of universal kindergarten access for Queensland children by 2014. The Queensland Catholic Education Commission, Queensland Lutheran Early Childhood Services, Independent Schools Queensland and The Gowrie (Qld) Inc are joining with our education partner Creche and Kindergarten Association of Queensland (C&K), as central governing bodies for kindergartens across the state. Their role will be to support and administer government funding to community and non-state school kindergartens so they can deliver inclusive, high-quality education programs. C&K will continue to support and monitor kindergartens co-located on state school sites. For further information, please refer to the Office of Early Childhood Education and Care website.
Sharing Foundations for Success with the world
Queensland's successful pre-prep education initiative will be considered by world leaders in public administration for an International Innovations Award. Representatives from our Indigenous Education and Training Futures division will travel to Malta this month to present the Foundations for Success framework at the Building a Common Future: Global Challenges and Local Responses conference. The Foundations for Success framework provides the guidelines for planning, implementing and reflecting on quality early learning programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the year before Prep. The framework, launched in 2008, won the Premier's 'Smart' Award for Excellence last year and is referenced in the national Early Years Learning Framework. Congratulations to all staff who have contributed to the success of this initiative. I wish our representatives a safe journey and all the very best for their presentation to the international panel and conference delegates.
Developing a skilled workforce for the energy sector
Staff from the Skills branch and the Darling Downs South West region met with industry and community groups, local councils and training organisations in Roma this week to discuss the future training and workforce needs of the growing coal seam gas and liquefied natural gas (CSG-LNG) industries. The meeting brought stakeholders together to develop strategies for training and recruiting thousands of workers for the CSG-LNG industry in the Surat Basin region. Our work in this area is an important part of the Queensland Government's response to the needs of the expanding energy resources sector. The strategies will inform a workforce development plan that will outline actions to be taken by government agencies, industry and the Surat Basin community to develop a sustainable workforce and maximise local employment. Further information is available on the Training website.
Student artists awarded for excellence
I had the pleasure of meeting some of Queensland's top senior visual art students and their teachers at the Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art and Design presentation ceremony on Wednesday evening. I always enjoy seeing the outstanding work being produced in our art classrooms and recognising the talents of our up-and-coming young artists and designers. Award recipients were in Brisbane this week for a five-day residential workshop with professional artists. At the presentation ceremony, we had the opportunity to preview their award-winning artworks, which were selected from nearly 500 submissions from state and non-state schools across Queensland. Congratulations to the 34 award recipients and their teachers. I look forward to seeing the artworks in the 2011 - 2012 touring exhibition when it opens at the prestigious Gallery of Modern Art next year.
If you have any queries regarding departmental initiatives, please send them to the Inquiries Mailbox.
For more news go to Education Views, A to Z of Early Childhood or training newsletters online.
Regards
Julie Grantham
Director-General
