Public Education Day celebrates the central role public schools, preschools and TAFEs play in strengthening the social, economic and cultural fabric of our society.

NSW public schools cater for more than 800,000 students across 2200 schools and public preschools.

There are nearly 100,000 teachers and staff dedicated to students in our schools.

NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar said free, public and secular education was key to a vibrant, socially cohesive, multicultural and equitable Australia.

“Our world-class public education system empowers our students. It’s the great equaliser within our society,” Mr Dizdar said.

“As a proud, former public school student from a non-English-speaking family, I know firsthand the transformative power of public education to shape lives and mould futures.

“Public schools cover the entire spectrum of learning, where students move seamlessly through our system and leave with a richly stamped education passport.”

Mr Dizdar said the Department had recently launched a website to celebrate the successes of some of the many hundreds of thousands of NSW public school alumni.

“We have an amazing public education system in NSW, where every student has the opportunity to thrive, whether it’s through academic pursuits, sport, the arts, or multiple other pathways,” he said.

“The success of our students is another example of the incredible work our teachers do, helping our children learn and grow throughout their schooling.” 

Mr Dizdar and other senior Department staff are currently undertaking a month-long tour of regional and rural schools and communities across NSW.

“Our regional, rural and remote learning communities are a key equity group,” he said.

“We’re committed to ensuring every child receives an education of the highest quality, no matter where they live.

“Public education is about giving every child, every opportunity to succeed. It’s why I am so proud to be public.”