Prominent Australians have given their voice to recognise the vital role public schools, preschools and TAFE colleges play in strengthening our social, economic and cultural fabric, in honour of Public Education Day today.
Many of the comments conveyed their deep appreciation for the role teachers and principals have played in the COVID-19 crisis.
“Public education is a defining institution in society,” said Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos. “It’s part of a great Australian tradition and success story. Our public schools offer all children the opportunity to build a positive future for themselves, their families, their communities and our country.”
Author and educator Pasi Sahlberg said: “If I would have the power to change one thing in our public education, I would make sure that public education would be 100% public — everything that children and parents need should be paid by the government. And more than that, public schools should be funded so that those schools that serve children who need more support and special care to succeed should get enough resources to do so from nation’s education budgets.”
Author Maralyn Parker said: “The professionalism, resilience and creativity of our public school teachers have never been more obvious to us and the majority of Australian families who send our children to public schools.”
Professor Alan Reid AM added his voice to the praise for teachers’ work. “Public education has been central to the fight against COVID-19 in 2020. From the outset, and even as the health strategy changed as circumstances changed, public school educators acted in the same spirit in which public schools were established — in the public interest and for the common good.”
On Public Education Day, we celebrate its collective benefit to society as well as to individuals. It brings together students from a range of diverse backgrounds, and creates a cohesive community by transforming lives and equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and attitudes for citizenship.
Australia’s public schools, preschools and TAFEs are inclusive and provide lifelong benefits to students through access to education, improved health, wellbeing and employment.
Public education ensures the right of every student to access a high quality education. In order to fulfill this purpose, public education must be sufficiently resourced to focus on equity and equality in opportunity.
True equity can only exist when the local neighbourhood public school — free and universally accessible — sets the standard for high quality education. Equity should ensure that differences in educational outcomes are not the result of differences in wealth, income, power or possessions.
Please join us today on Twitter and Facebook as we celebrate and acknowledge principals, teachers and education support staff.
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A strong public education system with a well-qualified and supported teaching profession, free from political interference, is among our greatest safeguards of democracy.
Public education builds equity, hope, and opportunity for every child.