Thursday, 10 December 2020

Ministers statements: education funding

Mr MERLINO (Monbulk—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health) (14:06): On this last day of Parliament I rise to thank the principals, teachers, education support staff and students and their families for all their hard work and perseverance during 2020, a year like no other. I pay particular tribute to our year 12 students in Victoria, a difficult year at the best of times made even tougher by a global pandemic and, for some, bushfires at the start of the year as well. But the good news is exams are over, the general achievement test of over 85 000 VCE students went without a hitch, every single year 12 student will have any disadvantage they have faced taken into account in their results and they will get their results and their ATAR ranking on 30 December—no disadvantage whatsoever compared to year 12 students anywhere else in this country, a wonderful outcome.

For students still at school next year, we will support you like never before. There will be 4100 tutors to ensure those who have fallen behind get the support they need in 2021. We will complete the rollout of mental health practitioners in every single government secondary school across the state and deliver the mental health pilot in primary schools. There is the $1.6 billion disability inclusion package, transforming the way we support kids with a disability, including over time lifting the number, doubling the number, to 55 000 students. There is more than $3 billion for school capital, the biggest school capital investment in Victoria’s history—buildings big and small in every corner of the state—and we will overhaul vocational education with a new single senior secondary certificate, ensuring every student has access to high-quality vocational pathways.

Finally, can I thank sincerely the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, Independent Schools Victoria and everyone in the Department of Education and Training for working so effectively together in this very tough year. All the very best over Christmas and the new year.