Secondary teachers welcome the government’s commitment to rebuilding and strengthening communities.

PPTA president Jack Boyle says, “Families and communities are going to need all the help they can get as we weather the Covid-19 crisis. We’re pleased to see so much new spending on job creation in the social and infrastructure sectors.

As teachers, we know the impact of poverty on the kids in our classes so we support investment in policies that make life better for children inside and outside of the classroom, so they can reach their potential when they are at school.

PPTA hopes this budget is a tipping point for our society. We have an opportunity to move forward into a future where every person is valued and the social safety net is repaired and strengthened.

One area where we would like to see urgent attention is addressing the educational inequities that have been exposed by this crisis. To rebuild a new normal in which every young person can thrive we need a strong and equitable education system where no one is left behind.

Now is the time to face up to these inequalities, and fix them. We can’t let our new normal go back to being the old normal.

Quality public education, training, and lifelong learning opportunities will mean we’ll have the skills we need to rebuild a better society for us all.

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