THE Independent Education Union of Australia has welcomed the Federal Budget, calling it a historic step forward in addressing critical challenges in Australia’s education system.
Local primary school teacher Emma Roberts said it would make a tangible difference in classrooms.
“More funding means better resources, additional support staff, and smaller class sizes,” Ms Roberts said.
“This will have a direct impact on student learning outcomes and help teachers manage workloads more effectively.”
Branch Secretary Carol Matthews praised the Government’s efforts in strengthening the school and early childhood education sectors, highlighting much-needed funding increases, cost-of-living relief, and support for the education workforce.
“This budget is the result of three years of dedicated government action to repair and rebuild our education system,” Ms Matthews said.
“These commitments will help secure a sustainable, high-quality workforce, ensuring teachers and support staff can continue to provide the best education for students.”
The IEU strongly supports the Government’s commitment to 100 per cent funding for all public schools, ensuring every child, regardless of location or background, has access to a world-class education.
“We congratulate the Government and our colleagues in the public sector for achieving this significant milestone,” Ms Matthews said.
The early childhood sector has undergone major reform over the past year, and the Budget builds on these efforts by supporting the three-day guarantee for children and investing in higher wages for early educators.
“The $1 billion plan to expand not-for-profit early learning centres is a game-changer for both educators and families,” Ms Matthews said.
Early childhood teacher Daniela Nguyen said the funding boost was long overdue.
“For too long, early childhood education has been undervalued,” Ms Nguyen said.
The Budget delivers tax relief and household support, offering an extra $50 per week ($2548 per year) for
an average school staffer.
The Help to Buy scheme has been expanded to include teachers and school staff earning under $100,000 (or $160,000 combined income for couples).
A 20 per cent reduction in HECS-HELP debts will provide financial relief for early-career teachers, cutting more than $5500 from the average student debt.
