By Amy Hume
WALLAN Secondary College could face difficulties in getting its Vocational Certificate of Applied Learning program off the ground next year after the recent withdrawal of VCAL co-ordination funding.
Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall announced the $12 million set aside for schools to coordinate the program would be axed by the end of the year.
Wallan Secondary College began VCE for the first time this year and teachers are eager to provide the same VCAL opportunities that exist in other schools throughout the region.
Like the Victorian Certificate of Education, VCAL is a recognised secondary qualification for students who are interested in TAFE, completing an apprenticeship or going into the workforce after completing year 12.
The program increases options for young people and provides a more hands-on learning that addresses the needs of business and industry with a workplace learning component.
Wallan Secondary College’s assisting principal Andrew Ellis said the school was disappointed to hear about the funding cuts.
“This funding is significant for the school. We were looking at implementing the VCAL program for 2012, so the timing couldn’t be worse for us,” he said.
“The school council was very disappointed and dismayed by the decision, particularly because it’s just being cut; it’s not being phased out.”
Mr Ellis said the school aims to have the program up and running for 2012 but funding and choices for students will be stymied.
“We see it as a really significant funding cut. It’s cutting out students’ choices,” he said.
“We will still continue with our VCAL program but it will not be as well-supported and as well-funded as we thought it would be.”
Kilmore-based Central Ranges LLEN CEO Boyd Maplestone has been working closely with the school for the set-up of the program.
He said the proposed funding cut would be a large obstacle for the school and will hinder the education options for students.
“Without the VCAL co-ordination funding, it’s going to be a challenge to get it up off the ground,” he said.
“The funding to go to a dedicated VCAL co-ordinator is vital. Schools really need a specialised co-ordinator to deliver the program. The role will now, more than likely, fall to another co-ordinator at the school.”
He said the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority advised the school to explore if there were any options for it to be exempt from the funding cuts.
“So far there has been no information to indicate that,” Mr Maplestone said.
Speaking in Parliament last week, Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell said the cuts to VCAL funding was “probably one of the cruellest things the Liberal Government has done since being elected.”
Other schools in the region affected by the funding cuts include Assumption College Kilmore, Broadford Secondary College, Whittlesea Secondary College and Seymour P-12 College.
ACK is one of the biggest VCAL providers for the region and was one of the pilot groups for the program in 2002.
ACK VCAL co-ordinator Helen Campbell said the $12 million co-ordination funding only became available to the school this year.
“We only just started to receive this funding now after years and years of waiting desperately,” she said.
“The whole idea of the funding was to allow for bigger, more vigorous programs and now its being taken away.”
Despite wide-spread concern across schools in the region, Member for Seymour Cindy McLeish said there should be no impact on teachers’ jobs or students.
“The changes to the funding arrangements purely relate to the co-ordination of the program and not the actual funding for students,” she said.
“Given the fact the program has been running effectively for the past eight years, and as a result of additional support provided by workplace learning co-ordinators and LLEN groups, there should be no impact on students.
“Funding for the delivery of VCAL programs in 2012 has been maintained and provision for growth in enrolments has been provided for in school funding.”
Ms McLeish said additional support is being provided to schools through the work of workplace learning co-ordinators across the state and established LLEN groups, which broker partnerships with employers and training providers.
