Network glitch hits public schools across Queensland

Sydney Morning Herald

by Catherine Strohfeldt

March 2, 2026

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Network glitch hits public schools across Queensland

A software glitch has disrupted Queensland state schools, locking teachers out of essential online learning materials and roll-call programs on Monday morning. The issue affected numerous schools across the state, with some classrooms resorting to personal devices like mobile phones to continue lessons while technicians worked to restore access. The Department of Education confirmed the problem stemmed from a security system provided by Telstra but emphasized it was not a cyberattack and posed no immediate security risk. The glitch rendered internal software unreachable on some devices after rebooting, with reports indicating the issue was intermittent and affected staff individually. Technicians from both the Department of Education and Telstra collaborated to address the problem, discovering a second technical issue compounded the initial disruption. This combination of issues temporarily hindered efforts to apply an earlier fix, but by 3pm, a second solution began rolling out. The department initially advised teachers not to restart their computers but later instructed those without restored access to begin restarting devices. Schools communicated with parents and carers through alternative methods as the situation unfolded. While the issue was resolved within the day for most schools, it highlighted the vulnerabilities in relying on centralized systems for education delivery. This incident underscores the growing reliance of modern classrooms on technology and the potential consequences of system failures. For readers interested in global education infrastructure, the event serves as a reminder of the challenges posed by technological dependencies in educational settings. The ability of schools to adapt and continue teaching despite such disruptions demonstrates resilience but also highlights areas for improvement in ensuring reliable access to digital tools.

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Originally published on Sydney Morning Herald on 3/2/2026