Media Releases

Dear Editor,
I write in response to the letter by Labor MP for Bendigo West, Maree Edwards to correct some of her claims about Coalition Government funding for VCAL.
This year more than 18,700 Victorian students are expected to undertake VCAL with 429 providers across Victoria. This Certificate provides an alternative Year 12 to the Victorian Certificate of Education. It provides pathways for students into employment, further education and training through an applied learning approach.
VCAL was first introduced in 2003, and at that time funding was provided to support co-ordination to establish the program. After eight years, VCAL is a well-established senior secondary certificate.
There has been no reduction to the funding for the delivery of VCAL. VCAL, along with other programs offered in Victorian government schools, continues to be funded through the Student Resource Package (SRP). The SRP is based on the number of students enrolled and schools have flexibility within that budget provision to deliver the programs and support that are designed to improve educational outcomes. In fact, this year SRP funding supported an 8.5 per cent increase in the number of students undertaking the VCAL from 2010.
This change brings VCAL into line with the vocational education and training in schools (known as VET in Schools) and VCE programs which do not receive additional funding for co-ordination and have their co-ordination role funded within the SRP.
Schools and other education providers have access to a number of support services for VCAL students. The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, the Victorian Applied Learning Association, the Local Learning and Employment Networks and the Workplace Learning Co-ordinators program can and do provide support to VCAL providers. They assist in the development of curriculum resources and co-ordinating structured workplace learning placements to satisfy the requirements of the VCAL.
This State Government is, in fact, increasing program funding for VCAL programs by 9.5 per cent this year (from $100.6 million to $111.2 million).
Overall, the Victorian Government provided a significant boost for education in the 2011-12 State Budget, allocating more than $1 billion in new funding to early childhood development, school education and higher education and training services. This funding included:
· $156 million over four years to meet increased demand in the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD);
· $32 million over four years for Vocational Education and Training in Schools (VETiS). This funding was scheduled to lapse this year, however the Coalition Government has committed to continued funding to reflect the importance of this option for students; and
· $1 million over three years to pilot and support new research-based educational approaches to re-engage young people who are disengaged or at risk of disengaging from schooling.
I hope this clears up some of Ms Edwards’ confusion.
Damian Drum MLC
Northern Victoria Region