Fix this text
EDUCATION
Fix this textJOURNAL OF THE NEW SOUTH WALES TEACHERS FEDERATION
Fix this textAgreement No. PP25S003 00104
Fix this textVo 1. 83 No.6 June 10. 2002
Fix this textOh what a night! Politicians to get class size message,
Fix this textloud and clear
Fix this textby Jennifer Leete
Fix this textA toast to public education. Sandra Joseph, Henry Rajendra Snr
Fix this textand Margaret Cheah, Parramatta TA, Henry Rajendra, City Organ-
Fix this textiser and Linda Eisler, Inner West TA.
Fix this textby Diane Hague and Kerri Carr
Fix this textThe Public Education dinner on May
Fix this text22 will be remembered as a defin-
Fix this texting moment for public education in
Fix this textNSW.
Fix this textAbout 250 Federation activists
Fix this textand other supporters of public educa-
Fix this texttion, all dressed to the nines, gathered
Fix this textat Parliament House to toast public
Fix this texteducation and hear Professor Tony
Fix this textVinson ’s first findings of the Inquiry
Fix this textinto Public Education in NSW.
Fix this textAll Association Presidents and
Fix this textSecretaries were invited and the
Fix this textcountry associations were fully rep-
Fix this textresented. Federation Executive, Offic-
Fix this texters, representatives from the parents
Fix this textorganisations, past Federation Senior
Fix this textOfficers, Australian Education Union,
Fix this textdepartmental representatives and
Fix this textsome MPs were also present, includ-
Fix this texting President of the NSW Legislative
Fix this textCouncil and sponsor of the dinner,
Fix this textMeredith Burgmann.
Fix this textAboriginal member on the Fed-
Fix this texteration Executive, Waine Donovan,
Fix this textacknowledged the traditional owners
Fix this textof the land. General Secretary Barry'
Fix this textJohnson was the Master of Ceremo-
Fix this textnies and other speaker's were Federa-
Fix this texttion President Maree O’Halloran,
Fix this textFederation of P & C Associations
Fix this textPresident Bev Baker and Education
Fix this textand Training Minister John Wat-
Fix this textkins.
Fix this textProfessor Vinson told the dinner
Fix this textpublic education had too many assets
Fix this textto be consigned to the crisis bin.
Fix this text“Why does it work as well as it
Fix this textdoes? Because the tradition of service
Fix this textbefore self is alive and well among
Fix this textteachers,” he said.
Fix this textFederation activists greeted Profes-
Fix this textsor Vinson’s speech and recommen-
Fix this textdations with rapturous applause.
Fix this textThe recommendations in his first
Fix this textthree chapters. Teacher Professional-
Fix this textism, Curriculum and Technology and
Fix this textFoundations for Effective Learning
Fix this texthave certainly pinpointed issues that
Fix this textteachers have been raising for years.
Fix this textProfessor Vinson received a standing
Fix this textovation.
Fix this textMs O’Halloran said NSW had a
Fix this textthriving public education system but
Fix this textit was beset by poorly researched
Fix this textchange and under funding.
Fix this text“Successive governments failed
Fix this textto say here’s the direction for public
Fix this texteducation.
Fix this text“We must have a new way of cre-
Fix this textating public policy in NSW.
Fix this text“It’s up to us to lead the debate on
Fix this textpublic education,” Ms O’Halloran
Fix this textsaid.
Fix this textBev Baker said public education
Fix this textneeds the resources to do what needs
Fix this textto be done.
Fix this textJohn Watkins announced the for-
Fix this textmation of a new advisory body,
Fix this textthe Public Education Council, to be
Fix this textchaired by independent education
Fix this textexpert Lyndsay Connors, to examine
Fix this textthe long-term future of public educa-
Fix this texttion.
Fix this textThe Council’s first task will be to
Fix this textexamine the first report of the Inquiry
Fix this textinto the Provision of Public Edu-
Fix this textcation in NSW. Maree O’Halloran
Fix this textand Parents and Citizens Associa-
Fix this texttion Senior Vice President Rodney
Fix this textMolesworth have been invited to join
Fix this textthe council.
Fix this textReference groups made up of stu-
Fix this textdents, teachers and principals will
Fix this textassist the council.
Fix this textMs O’Halloran said the Public
Fix this textEducation Council was a good step
Fix this textforward, but any delay would be
Fix this textunacceptable.
Fix this textAnd everyone had a fabulous time.
Fix this textThanks are due to the Officers and
Fix this textstaff of the Federation who organised
Fix this textsuch a wonderful night of celebration
Fix this textfor public education.
Fix this textFor more detail on Professor Vinson’s first
Fix this textreport see pages 16 and 17.
Fix this textFederation will soon distribute post-
Fix this textcards to be sent to local Members of
Fix this textParliament by parents and teachers
Fix this textcampaigning for reduced, class sizes
Fix this textin the early years of schooling.
Fix this textThe use and distribution of the
Fix this textpostcards is also supported by
Fix this textparent and principals organisations.
Fix this textThe postcards will cany the slogan
Fix this text“Twenty is Plenty” which was first
Fix this textadopted by the Primary Principals
Fix this textAssociation.
Fix this textFurther materials to assist lob-
Fix this textbying of politicians will be sent to
Fix this textschools and associations.
Fix this textFederation has received many
Fix this textpositive reports of successful parent
Fix this textmeetings involving the screening
Fix this textof our class sizes video as well as
Fix this textthe distribution of the class sizes
Fix this textleaflet.
Fix this textPrimary and central schools,
Fix this textwhich have not yet screened the
Fix this textvideo for parents, should plan
Fix this texttheir meetings now. Remember;
Fix this textthe video continues to be relevant
Fix this textand appropriate for screening at
Fix this textparent meetings until such time as
Fix this textwe have public commitments from
Fix this textpoliticians to maximum class sizes
Fix this textof 20, kindergarten to year 3.
Fix this textOne political party, the NSW
Fix this textGreens, has already made a com-
Fix this textmitment to support reduced class
Fix this textsizes in disadvantaged schools. In
Fix this texta press release about the Vinson
Fix this textrecommendations Lee Rhiannan
Fix this textMLC said:
Fix this text“The $47 million to reduce kin-
Fix this textdergarten to year 2 classes in dis-
Fix this textadvantaged areas across the state is
Fix this textthe most efficient additional money
Fix this textgovernment can spend on social
Fix this textproblems. Smaller classes in these
Fix this textareas will have massive flow-on
Fix this textbenefits beyond keeping kids in
Fix this textschools and giving them better edu-
Fix this textcation”
Fix this textMeanwhile some politicians,
Fix this textincluding the Minister, John Wat-
Fix this textkins, continue to claim in media
Fix this textcomments that the jury is still out
Fix this texton class sizes.
Fix this textFederation’s class sizes cam-
Fix this textpaign will no doubt be strongly
Fix this textboosted by Professor Tony Vinson’s
Fix this textclear recommendations on the issue
Fix this textin the recently released first three
Fix this textchapters of his report on the provi-
Fix this textsion of public education in NSW.
Fix this textProfessor Vinson states:
Fix this text“The task for policy makers is
Fix this textnot to await an unlikely total con-
Fix this textsensus among researchers but to
Fix this textbase policy on the best available
Fix this textinformation after considering the
Fix this textstrengths and limitations of the
Fix this textresearch on which the findings are
Fix this textbased. To await unanimity of out-
Fix this textcomes in research into the effects
Fix this textof class size may be to condemn
Fix this textoneself to an endless wait for the
Fix this textjury’s verdict.”
Fix this textJennifer Leete
Fix this textis the Deputy
Fix this textPresident.
Fix this textParents and teachers are asked to forward the postcards to their
Fix this textlocal politician.
Fix this textBudget offers token
Fix this textincreases for critical areas
Fix this textThis State Budget is a tentative rather
Fix this textthan a bold foray into the future of
Fix this textpublic education, Federation Presi-
Fix this textdent MareeO’Halioran said.
Fix this texti„ Jl e JHS aaS 1S Z 7?
Fix this textinvestment. There is acknowledg-
Fix this textment of the need to support teaching
Fix this textand learning in the classroom but
Fix this textonly a small allocation of funds for
Fix this textthis purpose. Thus the overall impact
Fix this textfor all teachers and students will be
Fix this textminimal,” Ms O’Halloran said.
Fix this text‘ It is disappointing that despite
Fix this textthe strong recommendations in the
Fix this textVinson Report to reduce class sizes
Fix this textin the early years of schooling that
Fix this textthis budget contains only $5 mil-
Fix this textlion tor a pilot program in 2003.
Fix this textThis must not be used as an excuse
Fix this textto avoid dealing with the Vinson
Fix this textrecommendations before the next
Fix this textstate election.”
Fix this textFederation welcomed:
Fix this text□ additional funding for 40 of the
Fix this textmost needy schools, designated pri-
Fix this textority action schools, to support pro-
Fix this textgrams such as smaller class sizes,
Fix this textteam teaching and behaviour pro-
Fix this textgrams for schools
Fix this text□ the modest increase in the
Fix this textschools’ global budgets
Fix this text[_} the creation of 50 new positions
Fix this textof mentor teacher which represents
Fix this textthe first steps to providing much
Fix this textneeded support forthe induction amt
Fix this text■ ~ .
Fix this textretention of new teacher s
Fix this textthe s fo n E' lcant investment in capi-
Fix this texttal wor^s and information technol-
Fix this text°Sy-
Fix this textAs the Budget was brought down
Fix this textonly a day before the journal was
Fix this textprinted, a detailed analysis of the
Fix this textState Budget will be included in the
Fix this textnext edition of Education.
Fix this textFor more initial information on the Budget see President Writes
Fix this texton page 10 andTAFE news on page 8.
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682634307
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. (1919). Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Retrieved August 7, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682634307
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation and New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Sydney: The Federation, 1919. Web. 7 August 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682634307>
N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. 1919, Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation The Federation, Sydney viewed 7 August 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682634307
{{Citation
| author1=N.S.W. Teachers' Federation.
| author2=New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation.
| title=Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation.
| year=1919
| section=volumes.
| issn=0013-1156
| issue=Vol. 83 No. 06 (10 Jun 2002)
| location=Sydney
| publisher=The Federation
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-682634307
| id=nla.obj-682634307
| access-date=7 August 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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