More than 26,000 Victorian Water Safety Certificates were awarded to students across Victoria in 2019, four times more than the number issued the previous year.
Minister for Education, James Merlino said 98 per cent of Victorian government schools offered swimming and water safety programs in 2019, up from 97 per cent in 2018.
“In 2019, the Government announced the introduction of swimming coordinators across the state to support schools to offer swimming programs,” Mr Merlino said.
“This includes supporting schools and learn-to-swim providers to award the Certificates to students who demonstrate the required swimming competencies,” he said.
“Not only are more schools offering swimming programs, but thousands more kids are getting Victorian Water Safety Certificates to show their competency in swimming.”
Mr Merlino said swimming was added to the Victorian curriculum in November 2016, with the aim of teaching all primary age students to swim 50 metres.
