Students march through town streets

Students took part in the annual march to celebrate Public Education Day.

by Chris Goudkamp

Each year public schools in the Murwillumbah Teachers Association participate in a march and rally in the town to celebrate Public Education Day. This year was no exception.

More than 600 students, teachers, other staff and parents gathered together before marching across the main bridge over the Tweed River to a local park where a rally was held. A banner which arched the bridge expressed the mood of the march and rally with the words "Let's Celebrate Public Education".

The theme of the day was "Public Education -- Worth the Investment". Students, parents and teachers all invest their futures in public education, the rally was told. Governments, when they invest in public education, can make a big difference as evidenced by the class size reduction program in the early years of school. The rally was told that it is pity that, even blessed with a huge surplus, the Federal Government fails to invest properly in our country's most important asset: public education.

Those present at the rally listened to students from each of the schools as they told of the importance of their local schools in their communities. They were also entertained by a combined orchestra and choir as well as dancers for Murwillumbah East Public School.

Chris Goudkamp teaches at Murwillumbah PS.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005