Teachers, support staff rally in Bunbury

Hundreds of Greater Bunbury education staff gathered at the Graham Bricknell Music Shell this morning to protest sweeping funding cuts to the public school system.

The work stop rally, organised by the State School Teachers Union, United Voice and CPSU/CSA, attracted teachers, education assistants and administrative staff from all over the South West.

Many parents elected to keep their children at home as schools were left scrambling to cover for missing staff.

Manea Senior College teacher Lynette Hillier attended the rally with two-year-old daughter Stella and said the protest was not just about education staff losing their jobs.

“The education cuts affect me as both a teacher and a mum,” she said.

“I have two kids who haven’t even started school yet but their education prospects are already looking to be in danger.”

Mrs Hillier said funding cuts would force Manea Senior College to cut back on some of the specialist programs that it runs.

See Tuesday’s Bunbury Herald for the full story.