The Premier promised a renewed emphasis on ‘reading’ even before kids start school. It’s a cornerstone of a planned overhaul of Queensland’s education system.

Milly Dimitrijevic reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Ms Palaszczuk says her Government will reintroduce the Queensland Ready Reading program, scrapped in 2012 by the Newman Government.

The scheme hopes to enlist the help of 3,000 reading volunteers in schools to encourage more children to read.

Lucy Kennedy, Student: “I think the best thing about reading a book, well, you kind of, get to step away from the world and go into a mystical land that well you don’t really get every day.”

Keeley Bagnell, Student: “It just gives you freedom and you’re able to just be captivated and engaged in the book, it’s probably the best bit.”

The Government will invest $1.5 million into the program over three years, to boost the state’s literacy results in NAPLAN.

Interested parents and grandparents can apply to be a volunteer from mid-May.

Rosie Driver, Parent: “I think the kids will really benefit from seeing adults really involved in story reading. I will definitely volunteer.”

Last year, more than 155,000 young Queenslanders took part in the Premier’s Reading Challenge, this year’s goal is to better that.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, Premier: “Last year, some two million books right across Queensland were read. This year, we’ve got the challenge out to all schools to get above that two million books read.”

This year children from Early Learning Centres are encouraged to take part and for the first time, books will be recommended in a variety of different languages.

Milly Dimitrijevic, QUT News.