To: The principal of and the Administration of Nerang State High School and the Queensland Department of Education

We, the undersigned members of the Nerang, Gold Coast, and broader school communities, call on the administration of Nerang State High School to preserve, fully fund, and protect The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program.

Nerang State High School’s Duke of Ed program is widely regarded as a benchmark of excellence across Queensland. It serves as a gold-standard blueprint that other schools across the state actively emulate. Removing or scaling back this program would severely disadvantage our youth and strip our community of a vital tool for student success, engagement, and well-being.

Why the Nerang State High School Program is Essential

The Duke of Ed program at Nerang is uniquely structured to support students through all three levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold. It operates as both an elective subject and an "offline" extension program, providing critical benefits that directly impact our local kids:

Measurable Educational & Attendance Boosts: Local teaching staff have documented that the Duke of Ed program actively drives up student school attendance, lifts classroom engagement, and repairs student relationships. For many at-risk youth, "Duke of Ed days" are the primary reason they attend school.

Direct Academic Pathways (QCE Points): Completing the framework grants concrete secondary school advantages, adding 1 point for Bronze, 1 point for Silver, and 2 points for Gold toward a student's Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE).

Crucial Life & Community Components: The program forces youth out of their comfort zones through four mandatory pillars:

Voluntary Service: Fostering community connection and civic duty.

Physical Recreation: Promoting fitness, health, and routine.

Skills Development: Building real-world practical or creative talents.

Adventurous Journeys: Cultivating teamwork, outdoor survival skills, and immense resilience through rigorous expeditions.

A State-Wide Leader: Nerang State High School has proven itself to be a leading active Queensland Award unit. Its dedicated facilitators and structured framework are heavily relied upon to transform local youth into #WorldReady citizens, setting an example that other Queensland state schools strive to duplicate.

Our Request

We urge the school leadership to guarantee the long-term survival of the Duke of Edinburgh program at Nerang State High School. Do not cut its funding, do not reduce its staff allocation hours, and do not deny future generations of Nerang students access to this life-changing, state-leading initiative.

Keep the Duke of Ed alive at Nerang!