Education and the 2005/06 State Budget

Victorians seeking apprenticeships will get extra support as part of a $43.3 million commitment to ensure the right skills and training are in place to keep the economy strong.

The Minister for Education and Training, Lynne Kosky, said investing in education and skills would give more Victorians the opportunity to share in a prosperous economy.

"This Budget builds on the Government’s work in turning around the education and training system to make Victoria the best place to live, work, and raise a family," she said.

"In the last five years we have invested strongly to train our workforce, ensuring business has access to the right skills and knowledge to create jobs and keep our economy strong."

Ms Kosky said $12.5 million over four years would allow an extra 1600 people to undergo pre-apprenticeship training.

"The successful pre-apprenticeship program helps young people secure the apprenticeship they want and in some industries gets qualified tradesmen and women into industry faster," she said.

Ms Kosky said $3 million over two years would enable lab.3000, a centre of excellence in digital design, to work with educators and industry to expand Victoria’s digital design capability.

"The design industry was identified as a priority growth industry and today’s Budget allocation recognises its importance to Victoria’s future," Ms Kosky said.

Ms Kosky said $27.8 million over four years would provide TAFE and adult multicultural students with the latest equipment and teaching facilities. This includes:

"Since 1999 the Bracks Government has invested a total of $5.2 billion in the education and training sectors," Ms Kosky said.

An additional $151 million over four years has been allocated to lift numeracy, literacy and retention rates and help meet rising education costs in non-government schools.

Ms Kosky, said $115 million over four years would be directed towards helping needy students in non-government schools meet educational targets around literacy, numeracy and retention.

"We are committed to ensuring high quality results for all Victorian students, whether they are in Government, Catholic or Independent Schools."

Ms Kosky said a new funding model similar to that introduced to Victorian Government schools this year would ensure that funding was directed at students most in need of additional support.

The model will change the way State Government funding is calculated for all Victoria’s 700 non-government schools and has been developed in conjunction with representatives of the non-government sector.

"We have developed a needs based funding system so resources can be best targeted to students that most need additional support," Ms Kosky said.

Ms Kosky said another $36 million over four years from the $173 million Additional Resources for Schools initiative would be allocated over four years to meet enrolment costs, and to enable the sector to better meet education targets.

An extra $299 million over four years has been allocated to maintain small class sizes, cater for more students staying at school and continue improvements to literacy and numeracy.

Ms Kosky said recurrent funding, employing the equivalent of up to 300 new teachers, would target students most in need and cater for growth.

Additional funding of $112 million will help students most at need to overcome disadvantage, target early years literacy and numeracy skills, invest in teacher professional development and help ensure 15-19 year olds are involved in education, training or employment.

Ms Kosky said $42.9 million of that funding would continue early years numeracy programs, to ensure a continuing focus on education basics.

"We want to ensure all students get the best start in life, through smaller class sizes and specialist programs in the early years."

She said an extra $36.9 million would be allocated to schools to help needy students in the middle years.

"Extra money, better targeted through the new Student Resource Package introduced this year, means more teachers spending more time helping more students," Ms Kosky said.

"An additional $3 million is being allocated for teacher professional development to implement Victoria’s new essential learning standards. We are also allocating $29.1 million to Local Learning Employment Networks and other programs to encourage young people who have left school to stay in the education and training system or get a job. The longer children spend at school, the better their long term chances of success."

Ms Kosky said $79.6 million would cater to enrolment growth in Government and non-government schools.

An additional $93.4 million over four years will ensure class sizes in the vital Prep to Grade 2 years remain small. Average primary school classes are at a 30 year low.

Ms Kosky said $14.2 million would continue for another two years a program to improve students’ participation and achievement in Years 5 to 9.

"The Government wants to see as many students as possible complete 13 years of education or training. These programs will ensure students in the middle years of schooling remain engaged, challenged and at school," Ms Kosky said.

"More students are moving through to the senior years of school, class sizes in the early years are at record lows and new programs are engaging and motivating students," she said.

"The Bracks Government will keep rebuilding the education system, while ensuring a strong balanced Budget."