Program change- Narre Warren South P-12 College VCAL school captains Phillip Kareroa, Candice Thomys and Lyndele Smith. 76825 `Picture: Meagan Rogers

By Lia Bichel
SCHOOLS have had to make adjustments to their Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) program following State Government funding cuts announced last year.
VET/VCAL program manager Rob Duncan from Narre Warren South P-12 College said the school had to remove programs following the State Government’s decision to cut $12million in funding.
This year there are 75 VCAL students in Year 12, 115 in Year 11 and 42 in Year 10 at the college.
“We had to make a number of adjustments including removing VET Community Recreation program, VCE Design Technology (Year 12) program and there is no assistant VCAL co-ordinator,” Mr Duncan said.
“We are hopeful that the changes we have made will minimise any impact, but will be better placed at the end of term to know.”
Mr Duncan said he would continue to advocate to the State Government to reinstate the funding to the VCAL program.
Mr Duncan met with Minister for Education Martin Dixon in December and said though it was a “positive” meeting he did not expect any decisions about reinstating funding until the next State Government budget.
“It is imperative that this program be adequately resourced. Schools like ourselves, Hallam Senior Secondary, Hampton Park and others offer large VCAL programs which require significant resources to make them run effectively,” Mr Duncan said.
“I believe the government now realises they made a mistake with this decision, and I am hopeful they will rectify it at the next available opportunity.”
Following the meeting in December, James Martin, spokesperson for the Minister for Education said that while the government’s decision in relation to the special co-ordination payment remained unchanged, Mr Dixon was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with and listen to the school’s concerns.
“The special co-ordination payment was only ever meant to help establish the program when it was first introduced in 2003,” Mr Martin said.
“The government expects the amount of funding to support student participation in VCAL will continue to increase in line with any student growth. The minister has asked the education department to work with schools that are looking to provide VCAL for the first time next year to ensure they are able to do so.”