Australia: ‘No pencils, no lunch’: why teachers dip into their own pockets

Mandy Wells teaches refugee children whose parents can’t afford to buy pencils, stationery or school bags.

They certainly don’t have felt pens, pencil sharpeners or erasers. So, to ensure they don’t miss out, she dips into her own pocket.

“Every term I will stock up on the things that their parents can’t buy for them,” she says. “I can spend anywhere from $900 to $1800, $2000 a year – depending on…