Victorian teachers are to have more time for their administrative work with face-to-face teaching hours to be reduced next year.
Announced by Minister for Education, James Merlino, more than 1,900 extra teachers are to be recruited to support the change.
“We heard from teachers that if they have more time to prepare lessons, plan, and mark work, their teaching will improve,” Mr Merlino said.
“Weekly face-to-face teaching hours will be reduced by one hour in 2023, then a further half-hour in 2024 for each teacher – without reducing students’ one-on-one attention at school – meaning more time for each teacher to prepare and focus on each student and their needs,” he said.
“When we support school staff, students reap the rewards.”
Mr Merlino said that on top of the new Enterprise Agreement for Government school staff, the Victorian Budget 2022/23 provided funding to deliver work-based degrees for postgrad students and extend the Teacher Financial Incentives Program.
The Minister said a Regional Blended Learning Hub would be established to give regional and rural students more choices about their education.
He said the Learning Hub would allow regional students to study subjects that they hadn’t had the chance to at their school, through a mix of face-to-face and online learning.
Mr Merlino said Budget funding had also been allocated to a new Cyber Safe and Secure Learners program to keep students safe online.
