Uncle Allen Madden

Hi, my name is Allen Madden, a proud Gadigal Elder. Born and bred in Redfern, the capital of Sydney. And as with all Welcome to Countries on this Gadigal land, it's an honour.

Shayla Madden

Hi, I'm Shayla Madden and I'm the granddaughter of Allen Madden. I am Gadigal Murri Murri and Gumbaynggirr Wirraayaraay.

Uncle Allen Madden

To all our Aboriginal Elders, all Elders, past and present. I also pay my respects.

To all our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters. From whatever Aboriginal or island nation you may have come from. Welcome to Gadigal. And all non-indigenous brothers and sisters. A very warm and sincere welcome to you.

And as I've mentioned many times, before.

Shayla Madden

Birani Barrabagu.

Uncle Allen Madden

Was, is, and always will be Aboriginal land.

Shayla Madden

For thousands of generations my people have walked this land listening to it, learning from it, and caring for it. Country holds our stories, our ancestors and our identity. As we gather here during the Public Education Week, we reflect on the power of education to ignite potential not just in the classroom, but in our communities and in our understanding of one another.

Uncle Allen Madden

Every step you take on Country adds to your own journey, your own experiences, and every experience is a chance to listen, to share, and to learn.

Shayla Madden

We are all shaped by the stories around us and the ones we carry within. May this week, be the time of inspiration. Where you find new ideas, new voices and new ways forward.

And above all, may it deepen your understanding of the land you're on, the people you meet, and the potential within yourself and others.

Uncle Allen Madden

Once again, welcome, welcome, welcome to Gadigal Country.

Shayla Madden

And may your footsteps be guided by our ancestors. Uniting us and guiding us all on our journey.

Teacher

Alright everyone, this is a big day for Makerspace. We have a big exclusive on our hands. So for this exclusive, we need all hands on deck.

Student 1

At Kirrawee’s Makerspace, we have a passion for delivering the news to the public.

Student 2

There are three things guaranteed in life: birth, death, and headlines.

Student 3

All good news reporters know news headlines don't just come to you.

Student 4

You’ve got to go to them.

Student 5

We'll chase those educational headlines from any corner of the world.

Student 6

And what a Term 3 headline it is today.

Student 7

Enough to spark anyone's curiosity.

Students

How now brown cow.

We’ll weather the weather whatever the weather.

Last looks everybody.

Three. Two...

Student 8

This morning. Swimming carnivals. Have they gone too far?

And new life discovered growing in the armpit of a sport shirt in the lost and found box. Could this be penicillin 2.0 or just really gross stuff?

Student 9

But first Public Education Week 2025 is officially underway.

Here's Olivia with the details.

Olivia, student

Public Education Week 2025 is a chance for everyone in New South Wales to celebrate schools and what makes learning fun. We cross now to the Secretary of Education himself, Murat Dizdar, who will be announcing this week's theme. Over to you, Murat.

Murat Dizdar

Thanks, Olivia. I'm thrilled to be here and joining you all from Kingswood High School in our fantastic library with Mr. Forbes, our principal and his team.

I want to pay my respects to the ongoing custodians of the lands on which Kingswood High School stands, the homelands of the Darug people. I do want to pay my respects to their Elders, past and present, for they are the ongoing teachers of knowledge and songlines and stories, and honour their enduring connection to this wonderful land and their rich cultural history.

It's a fantastic joy to be with you all as we celebrate Public Education Week 2025.

I think it's a fantastic theme this year. Ignite your potential and I'm immensely proud of the remarkable and far-reaching achievements of our students and staff in public education across New South Wales.

Public Education Week is an opportunity to recognise why we proudly choose public education, where we hold the firm belief that every one of our students can reach their full potential. At every school across New South Wales, our students have opportunities to ignite their potential, to cultivate their talents and to become their best selves.

To our beautiful students, 800,000 of them, the energy and commitment you bring to your studies enlivens your schools and communities. I'm really proud of your achievements and can't wait to see the places you go as public school alumni. Chase your dreams and see them through. Reach for the stars and let your light shine. Hopefully plenty of you become public school teachers.

To our principals and teachers, your invaluable work and leadership prepare our students for the aspirational futures as critical thinkers and well-rounded citizens. Your work is simply extraordinary and it has huge impacts on the students and communities that we serve. Not just on the academic endeavour, but in making them great human beings and I want to thank you.

To our admin and support staff, from the classroom to the office, to the assembly hall, to the sports field, your work is immeasurable and really important. You are such a key fabric in our school communities. Without you, we don't run effectively and seamlessly. You make our schools centers of educational excellence and inclusion.

Finally, to our education support staff, I want to thank you for the expert and ongoing advice, program and project and policy work that you undertake that helps our students and our staff to give the best of themselves inside the school gates. Thank you for everything you do.

During Public Education Week I encourage all of us to reflect on our unique strengths and the potential we offer to every community in New South Wales. Make sure you celebrate the power of public education in igniting potential and transforming lives through learning.

This is not just about test scores. It could be creativity in the art or music room, kicking goals on the sports field or building confidence in student councils or debating competitions. The opportunities inside public education, inside every school are endless and varied.

Thank you to everyone watching, who believes in the transformative power of public education. I want to wish you all a very happy Public Education Week.

Student 9

And that's all the time we have. Tomorrow, Maths. If we are still trying to find x squared, maybe we should just leave it alone? A wellbeing perspective.

Student 8

More at 11.

[End of transcript]

Voice over

Public education is a destination, not a postcode. Anything is possible for our students.

Female teacher

When we were coming back from last year in the train, Michelle said, come on what are we, what are we going to do? And we said, we both came up with the idea of pollinators. And that's the theme for this year's display.

On-screen text

Later that year, Michelle, the school’s agriculture teacher passed away.

Student 1

I love my school because it gives me connections to people and projects that I never would have thought of doing.

Male teacher

I think this is a really important project here to have at our school the Easter show. It's continuing on a legacy of one of our teachers, and it's also giving responsibility to the students. They have an additional reason to come here to school. They have an additional project to work on as part of the community.

Female teacher

This year's project is called Cherishing Pollinators. It celebrates both nature and the humans who work with young people, to communicate, to respect, to cherish their environment.

Student 2

You learn things that you might not have learned if you were sitting in a classroom doing like things on the laptop and like writing stuff down from the board.

Student 3

It's lots of fun hanging out with these people and doing these projects together.

Teacher

They're appreciating the wide range of seeds, grains, and other components of the environment that we can use for colour to make a beautiful display.

Student 4

On Saturday, we put up the boards. Yesterday we started patching the seams with the three boards together. We started patching up where the seams were with all the different grains. Tomorrow is when we start to put sawdust onto the main board down the bottom, and we start setting out all the different flowers and fruit and veggies. And then that's going to happen throughout the week until Friday, which is judging.

Judge

This competition provides the opportunity to use the skills that we learn in the classroom. We're actually approaching the stage where the work that's actually done in a school's competition is starting to show the way. The creative work that's coming forward and also the themes. It just fills me with hope.

Student 5

To be involved in a project like this it makes you feel happy. It makes you feel like people are actually interested in the work that we do, interested in the high schools and all the time and effort we put into these kind of projects.

Teacher

Michelle is an integral part of our faculty, and I know that a lot of students who worked with her while they were in Year 7 and 8 have chosen agriculture, perhaps as a means to stay connected to her. And we cherish her memory.

Female teacher

I've often worked with community, often with youth, and to communicate with them, to listen to them, to see their ideas, and to make those ideas into a 3D form. It's very special.

[End of transcript]

Child 1

When I grow up, I want to use my hands.

Luke, student

It's possible. I'm Luke, and I'm studying Certificate II in Construction pathways with Richard Crookes Construction

Child 2

I want to paint the world.

Mia, Student

It’s possible. Hi, I’m Mia and I’m learning how to turn imagination into design in Visual Art studies. I’m planning on going to Uni to study how to become an art teacher.

Child 3

I like to fix things.

Jessica, student

Anything’s possible. I’m Jessica and I’m studying Certificate III Electrotechnology with Air Right, Air and Electrical.

Child 4

I want to run really fast.

Tanishka, student

It’s doable. Hi, I’m Tanishka. I’m focused. I’m training and I’m learning through PDHPE and sport. I’m continuing my studies at university.

Child 5

I like to make pancakes.

Luke, student

It’s doable. Hi, I’m Luke and I’m doing a Certificate III of Commercial Cookery with Alfresco Brasserie and I love what I do.

Child 6

I could invent something new.

Elliott, student

It’s achievable. Hi, I’m Elliott and I’m studying Physics, where imagination meets real-world problem solving and I’m excited to be continuing my study at university.

Child 7

I want to learn how things work.

Angus, student

It’s doable. My name is Angus, I’m studying Certificate II in Automotive Servicing Technology at Medowie Car Care.

Steph, child

When I grow up, I want to teach kids just like me.

Educator

Steph, can you tell me what this says?

Steph, child

You can do...

Educator

Anything.

[End of transcript]

Students

Scene 1. Take 1. Principals for the day

Benjamin, Principal

I don’t think I’m ready to go back to kindergarten today!

Students

Don’t worry, we’ll help you! Come and see our office.

Benjamin, Principal

Ok boys, here is your work for the day.

Students

Do we have to?

All this?

Benjamin, Principal

Yep, afraid so!

[Teams call ringing on laptop]

Students

Hi!

Murat Dizdar

Good morning, it’s Carson and Henry isn’t it?

Students

Yep!

Murat Dizdar

Well, Carson and Henry, I wanted to welcome you both to Principal for a day.

What do you think is the first thing you might do?

Students

Check the bubblers.

Murat Dizdar

It’s very important that the bubblers work. I think you’ll make fantastic principals.

Take care, bye!

Students

Let me check the canteen. Locked!

This is working?

This is where people can’t dance.

When’s lunch?

It’s going to be when the bell comes on.

Ring ring, ring ring ...

Classrom students

Good morning Mr Carter!

Students

Good work!

Excuse me Mrs Beckett, you’re a good teacher!

Mrs Beckett

Aww, thank you, that is so sweet!

Classroom students

Bye!

Benjamin, Principal

Carson and Henry, you are meant to be doing some work today as the principals. I hope you are not playing out in the playground.

Students

We’re not Mr Carter!

Hmm, what can we do for our school?

Teachers

Hmm, more sport equipment?

Students

Let’s put a swimming pool in the school.

Teachers

Are you going to take accountability for that?

Students

What did she say?

Ahh...yeah?!

All signed, Mr Dizdar...

Thanks for the swimming pool!

Being principal made us hungry!

On-screen text: Student swap

Benjamin, Principal

Fingers don’t even fit in them! [Scissors]

Teacher

I think Benjamin we might need to work on your fine motor skills.

Benjamin, Principal

Do I need glue on my fingers?

Teacher

That’s okay, we can wash our hands after.

Benjamin, Principal

Everything is so sticky!

Teacher

Welcome to Kindergarten!

We put our hands up Ben.

Students together

What’s the time Mr Wolf?

Benjamin, Principal

Dinner time!!

Students

Being a Principal is hard work!

Benjamin, Principal

The one thing today showed is that everyone in the school’s role from the students to the staff is important and it takes a lot of effort every day to get the job done here in a school.

Students

That’s a wrap!

[End of transcript]

On-screen text

We asked two public school students to write a poem about their teachers and then perform what they had written. Here’s what they created.

Poem readers

You don't just teach us. You see us. You reciprocate our smiles and witness our growth. And on days when we are quiet or distracted, you notice. You say things like, “give it a go” when we are scared to be wrong. And somehow your words make us feel brave. You teach us more than facts. You teach us how to bounce back, how to try again, how to be kind, even when the world feels loud and unfair. You make rooms feel safe. Not just for answers, but for questions, for random ideas and all the little pieces of ourselves we're still trying to figure out. You laugh with us, listen when we ramble. You never make us feel small for being human. You help us find the strength in our own voices. You remind us that we have something to offer and that matters. You matter. You and those like you shape hearts not just minds. Listen.

Speaker 1

Who’s your favourite teacher, Albos?

Albos

Got to go with Tom Henderson.

Speaker 2

I have a lot of favourite teachers, but one of them is Mr Rutlidge.

Speaker 3

Mrs Cullingwood.

Speaker 4

Mrs Houston.

Speaker 5

Miss Till is really kind because when we’re sad she warms our heart up.

Speaker 6

My favorite teacher is Mrs Shay because she keeps the classroom fair, and is very fun and she explains things very well.

Speaker 7

She can paint really well, and she's really creative.

Speaker 8

My favourite teacher is Gordo because he's funny and chill.

Speaker 9

Kim Sheely because she’s funny.

Speaker 10

My favourite teacher is Miss Simpson because she helps us decode words and she also helps us with maths.

Poem readers

So thank you for checking in and cheering on, for being there long after the bell, for seeing the best in us. Always.

[End of transcript]