The first day of term four is set to be a scorcher for thousands of Sunshine Coast kids, as temperatures soar towards 40 degrees today.

Shadow Minister for Education and Member for Kawana, Jarrod Bleijie, said teachers and students on the Sunshine Coast had been suffering in hot classrooms for too long.

“Currently there are teachers and students sweltering in classrooms all around the Sunshine Coast with no air-conditioning,” Mr Bleijie said.

“Recent NAPLAN results showed Queensland state schools are lagging behind the rest of Australia across every age group and in every subject.

“How can children possibly learn and how can teachers teach in these conditions.

“This is why, as a part of our education plan, we will air-condition every classroom in Queensland so our children have the best possible chance at learning.

“Studies have shown that students perform better and produce better results in schools that have air conditioned classrooms.

“This is all part of our plan to make Queensland kids the smartest in the nation.”

Mr Bleijie said it’s unfair that teachers and students have to slug it out in hotboxes while all other government buildings have the benefit of air conditioning.

“School P&C’s are taking years to fundraise for air-conditioning and I believe they need a state government who will support them,” Mr Bleijie said.

“The Labor government continues to refuse to match the LNP’s commitment and today’s announcement that they will install air con in a few schools around the Bundaberg region does nothing for teachers and students sweating it out on the Sunshine Coast and other parts of the state.

“All we ever get from Labor on education is excuses and finger-pointing.

“The LNP wants a world-class education system in Queensland and we have the policies to deliver it,” Mr Bleijie said.