For over a decade, Australia's education system operated with a critical funding gap. Public schools couldn't reach the Schooling Resource Standard that David Gonski recommended in 2012. University graduates faced ballooning student debts as indexation outpaced wage growth. Early childhood educators, doing some of the most important work in the country, earned wages that barely reflected the value of their profession. Meanwhile, skills shortages threatened economic growth as TAFE became increasingly inaccessible.

The Albanese government has systematically addressed each of these failures. In March 2025, Queensland became the final state to sign the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement, completing a historic achievement that had eluded governments for over a decade. Every public school in Australia is now on a path to full Gonski funding. The Commonwealth removed the 20% funding ceiling that had artificially limited contributions and transformed it into a funding floor, lifting the Commonwealth share to 25% (and 40% for the Northern Territory). This $16.5 billion investment over 10 years means the 2.6 million students in public schools will finally receive the resources Gonski said they needed, with funding tied to evidence-based reforms like phonics checks, numeracy assessments, and mental health support.

At the other end of the education spectrum, the government has delivered unprecedented relief for university students and graduates. By fixing HELP debt indexation and cutting all student debts by 20%, the government wiped close to $20 billion in debt for over 3 million Australians. The indexation fix alone, which caps rates to the lower of CPI or wage growth and was backdated to 2023, addressed the spike that saw student debts growing faster than people's capacity to repay them. The 20% debt cut, implemented in July 2025, meant someone with the average debt of $27,600 saw $5,520 wiped from their loan. Combined with raising the minimum repayment threshold from $54,435 to $67,000, these reforms fundamentally changed the economics of higher education for millions of Australians.

The government's approach to early childhood education demonstrates how reform can support both workers and families simultaneously. The $3.6 billion investment delivering a 15% wage increase for early childhood educators is tied to strict fee caps, ensuring the predominantly female workforce receives fair pay without costs being passed to families. A typical educator now receives an additional $155 per week, whilst families continue benefiting from the Cheaper Child Care policy that increased subsidies and reduced average out-of-pocket costs by over 13%. The early childhood workforce has grown by over 30,000 workers since 2022, with vacancy rates down 14% and staffing waivers down 9% year-on-year, reversing a workforce crisis that threatened the sector's viability.

Fee-Free TAFE has become one of the government's most visible successes, exceeding all expectations with 568,400 enrolments by September 2024. The program targets skills shortages in priority areas like care sectors, construction, and technology whilst creating pathways for Australians who face financial barriers to education. Women took six in ten places, whilst one in three went to regional and remote Australians. The government has now legislated to make Fee-Free TAFE permanent, funding 100,000 places annually from 2027 onwards. This represents a fundamental shift in how Australia builds its skilled workforce, moving vocational education from being a cost barrier to an accessible opportunity.

The Universities Accord implementation is addressing long-standing equity issues in higher education. The Commonwealth Prac Payment of $319.50 per week supports approximately 68,000 students annually who must undertake mandatory unpaid practicums in teaching, nursing, midwifery, and social work. The government uncapped Commonwealth Supported Places for Indigenous medical students, ensuring every Indigenous student who meets entry requirements receives a place. Suburban University Study Hubs are bringing higher education access to outer metropolitan areas that have historically low participation rates, with 15 hubs providing study facilities, technology, and support services for students studying with any Australian institution.

The National Student Ombudsman, established with $19.4 million over two years, gives students an independent avenue to address complaints when universities fail them. With powers to investigate, conduct own-motion inquiries, and compel universities to participate, the Ombudsman directly responds to findings that 16.1% of university students experienced sexual harassment and 4.5% experienced sexual assault since starting university. When universities fail to adequately respond to recommendations, the Ombudsman can table reports in Parliament, creating real accountability.

The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan is reversing a decade of decline in teaching. The $348.5 million investment has driven teacher numbers up 2.8% to 320,377 full-time equivalent staff in 2024, whilst the student-to-teacher ratio fell to 12.9 students per teacher, the lowest since 2006. School retention from Year 10 to Year 12 increased to 74.3%, the first sustained improvement in almost a decade. With 5,000 teaching scholarships worth up to $40,000 each and teacher education applications up 7%, the plan is building the pipeline of educators Australia needs.

These reforms share a common thread. They address structural problems that had persisted for years, they invest in areas that previous governments underfunded, and they recognise that education is fundamental to both individual opportunity and national economic success. From ensuring every four-year-old can access quality early education, to making sure every public school student receives proper funding, to removing debt barriers for university graduates, the government has reshaped Australia's education system for a generation.

Key achievements:

• All public schools on path to full Gonski funding with $16.5 billion Commonwealth investment over 10 years

• $20 billion student debt relief through indexation fixes and 20% debt cut for 3 million Australians

• 15% pay rise for 200,000 early educators with fee caps protecting families from cost increases

• Fee-Free TAFE delivering 568,400 enrolments, now legislated as permanent from 2027

• Commonwealth Prac Payment supporting 68,000 students in teaching, nursing, midwifery, and social work