Australian Greens spokesperson for Schools, Senator Penny Wright, has congratulated the overall winners of the 2012 South Australian Public Teaching Awards and praised their commitment to their schools and students.

 "I congratulate and thank these wonderful public school teachers for their dedication and hard work," Senator Wright said. 

 "We are lucky to have many excellent public school teachers in our state who do a crucial job for all of us:  working with students day after day to teach them, inspire them, encourage them and help them dream big.

 "A good teacher will not only teach students the basics but will nurture and inspire them to meet challenges and prepare them for life in the wide world in new and different ways - a big job indeed!

 "If we are to build a smart, fair country equipped to meet the challenges of this century, we must properly value and respect our teachers - and that includes paying them a fair wage for their work and ensuring they have the time needed to plan and deliver their lessons.

 "Last month's OECD Education at a Glance report showed that the salaries of experienced teachers in Australia are lagging behind their counterparts in other countries.   If we want to attract - and keep- the best and brightest in the teaching profession we need to improve pay conditions and provide them with a career structure that reflects the importance of the work they do."