General News
4 March, 2021
State funding expands student choice
MORTLAKE College students now have more Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) options after receiving funding from the State Government VCE collaboration fund, which will see schools come together to offer a wider range of subjects.
MORTLAKE College students now have more Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) options after receiving funding from the State Government VCE collaboration fund, which will see schools come together to offer a wider range of subjects.
Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney announced last week Mortlake College had been successful in securing funding under round four of the collaboration fund.
The VCE collaboration fund supports regional and rural schools to partner, which helps to broaden VCE subject choice and the quality of VCE offerings for students.
Learning can be delivered face-to-face in the classroom, virtually through video conferencing or through a combined approach.
“This investment is giving students in Western Victoria greater choice of VCE subjects that appeal to their interests, strengths and career aspirations,” Ms Tierney said.
“This program is about ensuring that regional and rural students receive the same opportunities as those in the city, regardless of where they go to school.”
Under the partnership, Mortlake P-12 will join Hamilton’s Baimbridge College and Murtoa College to deliver nine new VCE subjects in 2021. The funding will cover the cost of releasing teachers to adequately respond to the increased demands of adapting content and delivering these VCE subjects virtually across the partnership.
Six subjects will be offered through the partnership including Murota P-12 College delivering business management, math methods and psychology, and Mortlake College delivering legal studies, physics and systems technology.
Mortlake College acting principal Sean Fitzpatrick said the program was all about giving students a greater choice.
“It increases our viability in the VCE space so our students can get access to the best possible teaching and offerings,” he said.
“It might seem innovative but this is quite normal in terms of the way young people are learning, particularly at the tertiary level with a combination of face-to-face and online.
“We’re confident this is going to strengthen our existing offerings.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said the program had been given the tick of approval from participating students.
“The students are enjoying it from all reports,” he said.
“They appreciate what is on offer but this also helps them to develop their independent learning skills as well.”
The $1.24 million fund is part of a $22.6 million State Government investment to give regional and rural students access to the full range of VCE subjects.
The fund will support up to 100 schools over four years to give VCE students greater choice through subjects offered in other schools.
Choice of subjects at schools has been a key driver for student retention and for VCE completion, yet students in rural and regional Victoria have generally had fewer VCE subjects to choose from.
Mortlake College follows south west schools Cobden Tech and Timboon P-12, who previously received funding in round two.
For more information on the VCE collaboration fund visit www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/vcecollaborationfund.aspx.