Public Education Foundation Ltd

Public Education Foundation Ltd We give life-changing scholarships to young people in public education across Australia.

Our goal is to help promote, improve and strengthen our public school system, because it is a vital pillar of our society. We do this by working with schools, communities, sponsors, supporters and departments of education around Australia. The Public Education Foundation in Australia:

* Provides scholarships and other educational programs for students, teachers and parents
* Celebrates achievements in our public school system
* Advocates for a properly funded, high quality public education system

I've been home for 10 weeks.At the heart of seeking this scholarship were the staff, students and families within my loc...
28/09/2026

I've been home for 10 weeks.

At the heart of seeking this scholarship were the staff, students and families within my local school community. While the experience provided an exceptional professional learning opportunity for myself as a principal and a system leader, its purpose extended well beyond individual professional growth. It was about demonstrating what is possible and planting the seeds of aspiration in others.

The scholarship provided an opportunity to send a powerful message to staff and students: that where we come from should never define where we can go. Opportunities to learn, lead, grow and engage with education beyond our immediate context should be seen as possibilities for everyone. By pursuing the Harvard Scholarship, I believe I am able to model the courage to step beyond what is familiar, embrace challenge and continue to aspire to something greater.

For staff, the experience represents an invitation to see themselves as learners and emerging leaders with the capacity to influence public education beyond their own classrooms and school. For students, it demonstrates that education can open doors to experiences, ideas and opportunities that may once have seemed beyond reach.

Ultimately, the significance of this scholarship lies not simply in the professional learning gained, but in what it can inspire in others. It is about returning that learning to the community, building collective capacity and creating a culture in which aspiration becomes contagious where staff, students and families believe they can aim higher, pursue opportunities with confidence, and see themselves as capable of contributing to something beyond what they previously imagined possible.

Harvard didn't give me a new set of answers. It gave me better questions.

This is what it looks like when we invest in our teachers — not just for them, but for every student in their care.



This post is part of a series on Hala Ramadan, scroll through for the full story.

I walked into a Harvard classroom and sat down next to leaders from 9 American states and 13 different countries.The she...
22/09/2026

I walked into a Harvard classroom and sat down next to leaders from 9 American states and 13 different countries.

The sheer wealth of perspective in that room was nothing short of humbling. Every single person at the table was actively navigating intense complexity and high-stakes challenges in their own context — bringing raw, real-world experience to every discussion.

What bound us together was something I didn't expect: a profound sense of shared sacrifice. Everyone had given up hard-earned school holidays, left loved ones behind, and made deeply personal choices — all for the same reason. The students in our care.

Once inside, the intimidating reputation of Harvard transformed into something else entirely — a deeply supportive, collaborative space for genuine leadership development. A place where long-held assumptions got challenged, and where being vulnerable was not a weakness but a prerequisite.

A particular moment of pride: seeing Australian educational leaders stand out among that exceptional cohort — through their thoughtful contributions, collaborative spirit, and depth of expertise.

We hold our own on any stage.



This post is part of a series on Hala Ramadan - scroll through to hear more of her story

⏰ Closing this Friday: David S Ratner Scholarship (NSW)Is your child Jewish and attending a NSW public school? If your f...
22/09/2026

⏰ Closing this Friday: David S Ratner Scholarship (NSW)

Is your child Jewish and attending a NSW public school? If your family is doing it tough financially, the David S Ratner Scholarship offers long-term support to help them make the most of school.

✅ $1,000 a year, for up to five years
✅ For students at NSW public schools, Kindergarten to Year 12 [swap for "primary school students" only if the poster is correct]
✅ Students who identify as Jewish and are Australian citizens or permanent residents

The scholarship can help with the things that make school work: tutoring, devices, excursions, camps and learning at home.

Applications close Friday 25 September. Please contact your school today, as your application may need input from them.

👉 Full details and how to apply: https://www.publiceducationfoundation.org.au/

If you know a family who could benefit, please share this with them directly. 💛

Proudly supported by JewishCare NSW, in memory of David S Ratner.

⏰ Closing this Friday: Waratah Education Foundation Primary Scholarship (NSW)Is your child in Year 4 at a NSW public sch...
21/09/2026

⏰ Closing this Friday: Waratah Education Foundation Primary Scholarship (NSW)

Is your child in Year 4 at a NSW public school? If money is making it harder for them to go on school camps and excursions, get tutoring, or have what they need to study at home, this scholarship could help.

✅ $1,000 a year in Year 5 and Year 6 ($2,000 in total)
✅ For students currently in Year 4 at a NSW public school
✅ Australian citizens and permanent residents

Every application needs a supporting statement from your child's principal. Please contact your school today so there's time to get it done.

Applications close Friday 25 September.
👉 Full details and how to apply: https://pef-apply.smapply.io/

Know a family this could help? Please share this post. 💛

Thank you to the Waratah Education Foundation for making this scholarship possible.

"Leadership is about restraint."I sat in a Harvard classroom alongside leaders from 9 American states and 13 countries —...
21/09/2026

"Leadership is about restraint."

I sat in a Harvard classroom alongside leaders from 9 American states and 13 countries — and this was the idea that stayed with me.

Not authority. Not action. Restraint.

Knowing when to listen. When to pause. When to create space for others to contribute rather than filling it yourself.

It challenged everything I thought I knew about what leading a school looks like. And it reinforced what I've always believed — that effective leadership is grounded in emotional intelligence and guided by a strong moral purpose.

True leadership is not about exercising authority at every opportunity. It's about demonstrating discernment, empathy, and intentionality — in ways that enable others to thrive.



This post is part of our story about Hala Ramadan - scroll through for more of her story.

First impression of Harvard I have to be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect.Stepping onto Harvard's campus for the fir...
17/09/2026

First impression of Harvard

I have to be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect.

Stepping onto Harvard's campus for the first time brought a powerful mix of anticipation and reality. For years, my expectations were shaped by the university's distinguished history. Actually arriving brought a very natural sense of apprehension. Harvard's reputation can feel deeply intimidating, and I found myself wondering, 'how would I adapt to an environment like this?'

That anxiety didn't last long.

Beneath that imposing facade, the campus has an inspiring energy. And within hours, the apprehension transformed into something else entirely, motivation. A drive to embrace the challenge and contribute to a community that has shaped so many before me.

I'm Hala Ramadan, Principal of Wilton High School in New South Wales.

This year, I had the privilege of attending Harvard University's Achieving Excellence program, made possible by the Public Education Foundation and Teachers Mutual Bank.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing what I found inside those gates.

Our partners AEU have the following scholarship 🎓 Finishing Year 12 this year? This one's for you.The AEU Federal Refuge...
15/09/2026

Our partners AEU have the following scholarship

🎓 Finishing Year 12 this year? This one's for you.

The AEU Federal Refugee Tertiary Scholarship is worth $9,000 ($3,000 a year for three years). It helps a student from a refugee background start university or TAFE in 2027.

The funds can go towards course fees, textbooks, a laptop, internet access, and travel or accommodation for study. A relocation payment may also be available if you're moving away from home to study.

You can apply if you:
✔️ Arrived in Australia as a refugee
✔️ Are an Australian citizen or permanent resident
✔️ Are in Year 12 at an Australian public school in 2026
✔️ Plan to study full-time at university or TAFE next year

⏰ Applications close FRIDAY 18th September.

Don't leave it late: you'll need a supporting statement from your principal.

Teachers, EAL/D staff, careers advisers and caseworkers: if you know a student who fits, please send this to them today.

Apply via the link in our bio. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 02 7814 2806.

We are looking for applicants for this scholarship for next year
14/09/2026

We are looking for applicants for this scholarship for next year

We were deeply saddened last week to hear of the passing of our Board Director and dear colleague, David Wynne. Those of...
20/08/2026

We were deeply saddened last week to hear of the passing of our Board Director and dear colleague, David Wynne. Those of us at the Public Education Foundation who had the good fortune to sit alongside him are still absorbing his loss. David was a colossus of public education at both state and national levels, and he brought that same conviction into every Board meeting he attended with us. He gave PEF his full attention, his hard questions and his warmth, and he never once made you feel that a small not-for-profit was a lesser use of his time.

He spent more than 40 years in public education, teaching in rural and urban schools and delivering adult education and training, before serving in many roles at the NSW Teachers Federation, including Deputy Secretary, Communications and Administration. His work establishing training and recruitment programs for new activists was recognised internationally, and the New Educators Network he built still does exactly what he intended, which is to make sure a young teacher walking into their first staffroom knows they are not on their own. During the HIV and AIDS crisis he used the union’s journal to reach members in isolated country towns when there was no other way of reaching them, and to steady the fears of those who did not yet understand what they were seeing.

David advised on programs for students doing it toughest, helped broker philanthropic support for public education, served on the University of Sydney’s Professional Development Advisory Board for Education, and gave long service as a director of both the Teachers Health Fund and the Nurses and Midwives Health Fund.

Anyone who worked with David will tell you he jumped in boots and all. He was a force of nature, a comrade, a builder and a believer, the sort of person who could take an idea sketched out at the end of a long night and throw himself at making it real. There will not be another like him, and we will miss his voice around our table more than we can properly say. Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and with the many people across public education whose working lives he changed without ever making a fuss about it.

Public Education Foundation

In an unexpected turn, Bruce McAvaney lost the inaugural Bruce McAvaney award for most popular sports presenter to the f...
17/08/2026

In an unexpected turn, Bruce McAvaney lost the inaugural Bruce McAvaney award for most popular sports presenter to the former tennis player Jelena Dokic, who won for her work presenting at the Australian Open, Melbourne Cup, Wimbledon, Roland Garros, US Open and Cross Court.

Bruce McAvaney attended FERRYDEN PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL and WOODVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, SA. Proudly Public and creating a legacy through the Bruce McAvaney Award - despite not winning.

Congratulations to Jelena and with deepest respect to Bruce for creating a special award at the Australian Logie Awards.

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105 Phillip Street
Sydney, NSW
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