The National Department of Education has launched its Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Policy and implementation guidelines to encourage fairness, inclusion and accountability across the department.

Education Secretary Dr. Uke Kombra said the policy marks an important milestone for the department and reflects its commitment to strengthening both education services and the way public servants work together.

The policy supports the National Education Plan 2020–2029, particularly Focus Area Three, which emphasizes equity.

Dr. Kombra said the policy is not about men competing against women, but about ensuring that everyone is treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and given a fair opportunity to succeed.

“It is about men and women working together, or men and women working together, recognizing each other's strengths, treating one another with dignity and respect, and ensuring that every member of our workforce has a fair opportunity to succeed.”

“When we value different perspectives, we become stronger leaders.”

“As leaders in education, we have the responsibility to model the values that we expect our schools to demonstrate, and our students to respect fairness, integrity, inclusion, accountability.”

He said the policy must be applied across the department, including recruitment, appointments and promotions, with decisions based on performance, qualifications and competency.

The policy also recognizes persons living with disabilities, employees from different provinces and cultures, and staff at different stages of their careers.

GESI Coordinator Claribel Waide explained that the policy is designed to create an inclusive, safe, accessible and conducive working environment for public servants while improving equity in education and service delivery.

She said the policy has four main objectives: creating and maintaining a safe workplace; strengthening fairness and transparency in recruitment and policy development; supporting women in leadership; and strengthening resources for GESI mainstreaming.

The priority areas include equity in education and service delivery, employee health, safety and wellbeing, complaints management, professional development and women in leadership.

The department acknowledged the contribution of development partners, particularly the Australian Government through the TIE program, to the development of the policy.

Waide said the launch is not the end of the process, with the policy now expected to be integrated into the department's everyday management and systems, including school inspections and guidance and counselling.