The reforms, the Government said, are attracting more teachers into the classroom and helping to retain those already there, resulting in teacher vacancies falling to a 12-year low and the number of merged and cancelled classes in NSW halving since the 2023 state election.
Premier Chris Minns said the move from uncertain temporary contracts to permanent roles has been “so that our kids have the certainty of a teacher they know in front of their class.
“These reforms are making a real difference improving student results while driving teacher vacancies to a 12-year low and halving the number of merged and cancelled classes in NSW,” he said.
The changes, the Government said, are also improving student outcomes, with NSW now leading the nation, ranking first or equal first across multiple year levels in writing, reading, grammar, and numeracy.
However, Shadow Education Minister Mark Speakman said despite the claims of strengthening the teacher workforce, the Minns Labor Government’s own reporting shows the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers in NSW public schools has actually gone backwards since 2023.
Speakman criticised the Government for what he called its misleading portrayal of the state of public education in the state.
“It's deceptive to trumpet the conversion of temporary roles without acknowledging that the total FTE number of teachers in our classrooms has gone backwards, as shown by comparing the 2023 and 2025 NSW Public Sector Reports,” Speakman said.
And while the Government has trumpeted its delivery of “the largest school infrastructure build in NSW history, including a record $9 billion investment that is delivering 230 new and upgraded school and preschools”, Speakman said this too was wrong and that the Government’s own budget papers reveal that the education infrastructure budget is shrinking instead of expanding.
“Most of the school infrastructure the Minns Government is opening was planned and funded by the former Liberals and Nationals Government. Labor is cutting ribbons on projects that were already well underway,” he said.
The Minister said despite rhetoric about record investment, the education capital budget in 2025–26 is down 7.7 per cent compared with the previous year’s budget.
“That means a pipeline of fewer new classrooms and continued pressure on growing communities,” he said.
“We all want to see the proper investment in our teachers and school infrastructure, but that starts with acknowledging the facts. You can’t fix problems that you refuse to acknowledge and pretend don’t exist.”
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said when teachers and support staff are part of a school long-term, it supports settled classrooms and strengthens learning outcomes.
“That is why the Minns Labor Government has made it our priority to restore job security and improved wages for teachers and staff who are critical to the education of our future leaders,” she claimed.
“Thousands of teachers and staff in our public schools now have the certainty that comes with a permanent job. That stability matters, not just for staff, but for the students and communities they support every day.”
Speakman has called on the Government to provide a transparent account of staffing levels and infrastructure delivery.
“Our education system needs sustained investment, not selective statistics designed to hide the truth.”
