Students are front and centre of the Department of Education’s 2025 Schools Roadshow, with 250 principals yesterday attending the Newcastle event at Callaghan College, Jesmond Senior Campus.

Secretary Murat Dizdar and the department’s senior executives are meeting 1000 principals at 10 regional and metropolitan locations over two months, with the key goal of delivering better educational outcomes for students.

“We want to have open and robust discussions about how we’re travelling in public education,” Mr Dizdar told the Newcastle audience.

“We want to understand the local realities – the barriers, the success stories and the support needed – to help every student succeed. That’s why these roadshows are so important.

“This is not just a one-way conversation; it’s a chance to listen, to learn and to lead together.”

Principals yesterday came from Bathurst, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Maitland, Upper Hunter, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Tuggerah Lakes and Taree.

Mr Dizdar acknowledged the distress to colleagues and school communities affected by devastating floods on the Mid North Coast, Central Coast and in the Hunter. More than 170 schools were closed during the flood peak.

“I’m really mindful of staff, students and communities who have lost homes, businesses, farms,” he said.

“Our school leaders and staff have been on the ground throughout the disaster, supporting their communities and students, and we will continue to do so.”

All schools closed due to the flooding are now operating again.

The day-long roadshows have so far been held in Wollongong, Batemans Bay, Oatley, Tweed Heads and Newcastle. Next stop is Orange, followed by Inverell, Epping, Albury and Penrith.

Mr Dizdar said there were “green shoots” everywhere in public education. Explicit teaching was being embedded in schools, and the high potential and gifted education policy was rolling out to great success.

“We’re going to double down on explicit teaching, because we know it works,” he said.

Teacher vacancies had fallen significantly in the past two years, as had teacher resignation and retirement rates.

Mr Dizdar said his priority was to win back market share for public education from non-government schools.

“Equity lifts all and we’re having a real crack at raising our market share,” he said.

“Since 1848 [when public education started] good leaders have stood in front of the troops and said we’re staying on this path . . . there’s ways of achieving and delivering.”