▁In ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁Government ▁established ▁National ▁School s . ▁This ▁was ▁continued ▁by ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Government ▁after ▁the ▁col ony ' s ▁separation ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 . ▁The ▁Education ▁Act ▁ 1 8 6 0 ▁established ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Board ▁of ▁General ▁Education ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁standard ise ▁curr icul um , ▁teacher ▁training , ▁and ▁facilities . ▁The ▁State ▁Education ▁Act ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁provided ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁key ▁initi atives ▁for ▁primary ▁education ; ▁it ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁free , ▁comp uls ory ▁and ▁sec ular . ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Public ▁Inst ruction ▁was ▁established ▁to ▁admin ister ▁the ▁Act . ▁This ▁move ▁standard ised ▁the ▁provision ▁of ▁education ▁and , ▁despite ▁difficulties , ▁colonial ▁educ ators ▁achieved ▁a ▁remarkable ▁fe at ▁in ▁bringing ▁basic ▁liter acy ▁to ▁most ▁Queensland ▁children ▁by ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁establishment ▁of ▁schools ▁was ▁considered ▁an ▁essential ▁step ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁early ▁communities ▁and ▁integral ▁to ▁their ▁success . ▁Loc als ▁often ▁don ated ▁land ▁and ▁labour ▁for ▁a ▁school ' s ▁construction ▁and ▁the ▁school ▁community ▁contributed ▁to ▁maintenance ▁and ▁development . ▁School s ▁became ▁a ▁major ▁community ▁focus ▁for ▁social ▁interaction , ▁a ▁symbol ▁of ▁progress ▁and ▁a ▁source ▁of ▁pride ▁with ▁end uring ▁connections ▁formed ▁with ▁past ▁pup ils , ▁parents ▁and ▁teachers . ▁The ▁inclusion ▁of ▁war ▁mem orial s ▁and ▁h alls ▁used ▁for ▁community ▁purposes ▁rein for ced ▁these ▁connections ▁together ▁with ▁f