Message from the CEO

Happy Public Education Week!

This week has been a privilege – visiting schools, seeing your successes, hearing about the projects you’ve delivered, the events you’ve run and the strong community partnerships you’ve built. NSW is home to the largest public education system in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s P&Cs and their communities that bring this system to life.

I know parents across NSW have poured huge amounts of volunteer effort into celebrations this week and I want to congratulate you on everything you’ve achieved. A personal highlight for me was visiting my own children’s classrooms – although it did spark the conversation about how they can keep their tubs so neat, but not their bedrooms. Some things, it seems, are universal.

One of the things I love most about P&Cs is that they aren’t universal. Each one is unique – with its own school grounds, personalities, challenges, projects, services and ambitions. Public education is a pillar of Australian democracy. The Education Act makes it clear that every child in NSW must have access to free, secular education. Public education represents an ideal and a value that underpins our society – that every child gets a fair go in life.

What makes every school unique is their community. The part you play in shaping the educational experience for children – now and into the future – is often hard to measure, but it is critical.

I hope you’ve had a wonderful Public Education Week. If you haven’t already, check out our Social Media Member Takeover on Facebook and Instagram, where members have shared their P&C’s thoughts and photos to mark the week. If you’re interested in sharing your story, our Term 4 edition of The Journal is now taking submissions – email mail@pandc.org.au to get involved.

Thank you for everything you do to make our schools vibrant, welcoming and strong.

Gemma Quinn, CEO