All students, regardless of their circumstances, have the right to a high quality education that maximises their potential. This ideal can only be achieved through a high quality public education system which caters for all students. Under Labor, more teachers have been recruited, class sizes have been reduced and year 12 retention rates have increased.

Victorian Schools Plan
The Victorian Labor Government is currently undertaking the biggest ever modernisation of school facilities. By 2010 every Victorian Government school will have been rebuilt or modernised over a 10-year period. The Plan will cost $1.9 billion across the current term of Government and will see another 500 schools either built or modernised, and every secondary school’s science and technology facilities renewed.

Twenty new schools are being built in growth areas such as Cranbourne, Casey, Plenty, Melton and Wyndham. Two new selective-entry academic schools will also be constructed, in addition to a new Sir John Monash Science School in Clayton, three Science and Maths Specialist Centres in Geelong, Ballarat and north-east Melbourne and a sports school in Maribyrnong.

Accessibility
Under the new Education Act, all students are guaranteed a place at TAFE, school, or a designated Adult and Community Education provider to the completion of Year 12 or its equivalent, provided the student is under 20 years of age.

The introduction for the School Start Bonus of $300 for the parents of Prep and Year 7 students subsidises the cost of uniforms and books, making schooling more affordable. The Victoria Government has also introduced the Education Maintenance Allowance which provides additional funds to assist with education-related expenses to the families and schools of disadvantaged students.

Skills
To address the skills shortage, the Victorian Labor Government has introduced the new $500 Trades Bonus to help combat high first-year apprentice drop-out rates. Funding for the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Accommodation Allowance to assist young people who are required to travel to attend off-the-job training has also been increased.

The Victorian Labor Government is creating better opportunities in the area of skills. An additional 4500 pre-apprenticeship places in skill shortage areas are being created and four new Technical Education Centres in Ballarat, Wangaratta, Heidelberg and Berwick will be built over the term of government.

Early Childhood Education
Research continues to show that a child’s early life experiences and circumstances lay the foundation for later development and life achievement. Investing in early childhood education enhances the life opportunities of a child and can result in better health, improved educational outcomes, higher rates of labour force participation and lower crime rates.

Through the National Reform Agenda, the Victorian Labor Government aims to improve antenatal care, strengthen the health and development of children under 5, enhance the provision of early childhood education and care and work towards more family-friendly workplaces.