Annual Report 2002–03 Department of Education & Training
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Annual Report 2002–03 Department of Education & Training CONTENTS Overview 1 Secretary’s report 3 About this report Goals and objectives 6 This report sets out the Department’s key activities and Targets 6 achievements from 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2003 against About the Department 7 the outputs and the Departmental objectives detailed in Summary of financial results 10 the 2002–03 Budget Papers. Corporate governance 12 The report of operations is organised around the major Human resources 16 output groups: School education 22 • school education (pages 22–47) Student programs 24 • training and tertiary education (pages 48–70) Student outcomes 38 • policy, strategy and information services (pages 71–81). School funding 41 The financial report (pages 90–121) provides information Facilities and infrastructure 41 on the financial position and performance of the School regions 42 Department in 2002–03. Non-government schools 44 Twelve appendices (pages 122–156) provide Victorian Schools Innovation Commission 46 supplementary financial and non-financial information. Training and tertiary education 48 The report is a public document tabled in the Victorian Parliament in November 2003. It is available on the Training and further education 50 Department’s website <www.det.vic.gov.au>. Adult and community education 62 Higher education 66 Resource management 70 Policy, strategy and information services 71 October 2003 Policy, strategy and executive services 72 Lynne Kosky, MP Minister for Education and Training International education 76 Public information and promotion 80 Jacinta Allan, MP Minister for Education Services Statutory authorities and other bodies 82 Merit Protection Boards 83 Dear Ministers Other statutory authorities and bodies 87 I have pleasure in submitting the annual report of the Financial report 90 Department of Education & Training for the year 2002–03 Education Act 1958 Appendices 122 in accordance with the and the Financial Management Act 1994. 1 Consistency of budget and financial reporting 123 2 Portfolio statistics 129 Yours sincerely 3 Reporting on target groups 133 4 Workforce statistics 135 5 Senior officers as at 30 June 2003 138 6 Freedom of Information 141 7 Whistleblowers Protection Act 2001 143 Grant Hehir 8 Occupational health and safety 150 Secretary 9 Consultancies and major contracts 151 10 Additional information 152 11 Portfolio responsibilities 153 12 Index of compliance 155 Acronyms and abbreviations Inside back cover OVERVIEW VALUING AND INVESTING IN LIFELONG EDUCATION The Government believes that education is the key to our children’s future and Victoria’s prosperity. Education opens the doors to high quality jobs, to a full and creative life and a sense of common citizenship. Growing Victoria Together – Innovative State. Caring communities. Vision All members of the Victorian community are active learners throughout their lives, and the education and training system is characterised by excellence and innovation at every stage of learning. Key functions The Department provides, funds, purchases and regulates education and training services for Victorians of all ages through schools, TAFE institutions, registered training organisations, adult and community education (ACE) organisations, adult education institutions and higher education institutions. The Department’s primary functions include: • planning, regulating, managing, resourcing and delivering high-quality primary and secondary education in Victoria’s system of government schools • funding, regulating and liaising with non-government schools in Victoria • planning, regulating, resourcing and purchasing training and further education, apprenticeships and traineeships and adult and community education that strengthen the knowledge and skills of all Victorians • planning, coordinating and monitoring the provision of higher education in Victoria. In addition to these responsibilities, the Department provides support and advisory services to the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Education Services. 1 Highlights December 2002 • Over 48,000 students successfully completed their VCE. July 2002 • Responsibility for the Office for Youth was transferred • Where to Now, a comprehensive education and training to the Department for Victorian Communities. guide for Year 10 students, was launched. • The achievements of students, teachers, employers and other partners in the Victorian Certificate of Applied August 2002 Learning (VCAL) trial were celebrated with the VCAL • TAFE Week was celebrated. 2002 Ministerial Awards at Parliament House. September 2002 January 2003 • Literacy and Numeracy Week was celebrated. • Two new schools opened and two schools moved to new • Adult Learners’ Week was celebrated. locations at the start of the new school year. • The VCAL expanded to 225 schools, TAFE institutions and October 2002 ACE organisations. • The Ministerial Statement on Improved Educational • Vacant seats on regional school buses were made Outcomes: A Better Reporting and Accountability System available to TAFE and other post-compulsory education for Schools was released. and training students. • The Ministerial Statement on Future Directions for Victorian Higher Education (Higher Education Ministerial Statement) February 2003 was released. • The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was • The TAFE Courses Directory 2003 was launched. extended to Victorian families affected by bushfires • Victoria as a Learning Region was published as the and ongoing drought conditions. background report to the OECD Victoria: Learning • Enrolments in government schools increased by Cities and Regions conference held in Melbourne. 1746.6 equivalent full-time (EFT) students. November 2002 March 2003 • Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) end-of-year • 53 students from government schools received a 2002 examinations were conducted by the Victorian Victorian School Sports Award. Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). • Cultural Diversity Week was celebrated for the first time by Victorian schools. April 2003 • An $18 million expansion to the Strategic Partnerships program to improve learning outside the classroom was announced. • The Premier’s VCE Awards celebrated outstanding achievement in VCE studies. May 2003 • An extra $285 million over four years to boost education and training programs and $137 million to provide better facilities was provided for in the 2003–04 State Budget. • The framework for the reform of school education was announced. • Education Week was celebrated in school communities. June 2003 • On Track data was released, indicating the outcomes for over 35,000 students from government and non- government schools who completed Year 12 in 2002. 2 SECRETARY’S REPORT The Department plays a May 2003 in which she announced four areas for reform pivotal role in fulfilling the in school education – curriculum, school improvement, vision and achieving the workforce development and teacher learning, and excellence challenges set by the and innovation. Leadership groups were established to Government for education develop options and report back to the Minister. and training. The Govern- Within the Schools for Innovation and Excellence initiative, ment’s vision is based on 70 clusters of schools were established across the State. the knowledge that a strong These clusters encouraged local reform of middle years education and training curriculum and school structures and provided support for system is vital to ensure students moving from primary to secondary schooling. that all Victorians have the Through the Access to Excellence initiative, funding for knowledge and skills to be 300 extra teachers was provided for 118 secondary schools responsible, informed and where absenteeism, literacy and numeracy levels, and productive citizens. retention rates indicated the need for additional assistance. Grant Hehir, Secretary The resources were used to achieve smaller class sizes, targeted teaching and learning and greater curriculum choice. Achieving the goals and targets The goals and targets for education and training are set Literacy and numeracy are basic to all learning. Children out on page 6. They focus the work of the Department need these skills in order to learn confidently in every area of the curriculum and participate in everyday life and provide the framework around which strategies and programs are developed to meet the Government’s objectives for education and training. Progress towards the targets is strong. • In 2001, the percentage of Victorian primary students achieving the national reading and numeracy benchmarks was at or above the Australian average. 2002 data is not yet available. • In 2002, the percentage of 19-year-olds who completed Year 12 or equivalent was 75.8 per cent, and the percentage of 18–24-year-olds who completed Year 12 or equivalent was 82.4 per cent. These results are an improvement on 2001. • In 2002, participation in education and training by young people aged 15–19 in rural and regional Victoria was 93.1 per cent. School education As a result of the Government’s investment in school education, class sizes in P–2 reduced from an average of 24.3 students in 1999 to 21.0 in 2003. Reduced class sizes have increased the effectiveness of key strategies designed to improve the acquisition of foundation skills in literacy and numeracy. Following the achievements of the Early Years Literacy program, the Early Years Numeracy program supported students who required extra help to develop numeracy skills.