Herald editor Jordan Baker has just addressed the summit, driving home the power of education to transform lives and highlighting the importance of policies that allow every child to put their best foot forward.
Here is an excerpt of her speech below:
School choice is no longer a debate.
It’s a reality, and with that choice comes a whole lot of confusion from parents about how to make a good choice and how to support their children through their school career.
From when to start kindergarten to what subjects to choose for the HSC, parents rely on the Herald for information to help them make those decisions.
Now, of course, choice is only available to those with sufficient resources, and that is why the Herald always has, and always will advocate for policies that ensure every child in NSW has access to high-quality schooling.
We understand, like every single person in this room does, the power of education to transform.
One of the key issues to be explored at today’s summit will revolve around expanding gifted education programs for public school students.
As Herald education editor Christopher Harris reports, more than 750,000 students in comprehensive public schools will be able to access specialist gifted programs this year.
It is part of a major overhaul designed to ensure the needs of high-potential students are being met beyond prestigious selective options.
The shake-up comes amid intensifying competition for selective places while over the past five years, 37,000 parents rejected their local public comprehensive school in favour of Catholic and private schools.
Education Minister Prue Car first revealed the plans for universal gifted education in public schools two years ago and will at Monday’s Sydney Morning Herald Schools Summit detail how the new program called Inspire will deliver enrichment streams, extension classes and STEM programs.
Read the full story here.
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the 2026 Sydney Morning Herald Schools Summit today.
A team of reporters is on the ground to bring you all the news, discussion and debate from the state’s school leaders, principals and teachers.
One of the highlights today will be NSW Education Minister Prue Car’s speech regarding the rollout of gifted education in NSW public schools, a policy she first flagged at the Herald’s summit in 2024. She will be joined on stage by Herald editor Jordan Baker.
We will also hear from the Department of Education secretary Murat Dizdar.
Other education leaders speaking include Stephen Gniel, chief executive of Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. He will speak about changes to how maths is taught in the early years.
We will also hear from NSW Education Standards Authority chief executive Paul Martin and Catholic Schools NSW boss Dallas McInerney in a panel discussion about assessment.
It’s going to be an exciting day ahead – let’s get started!
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
