Victorian budget delivers $5.5b for education

“The Victorian Budget for 2026/27 is being considered a win for education, with more than $5.5 billion in new investment across schools, early‑childhood learning and the state’s expanding Free TAFE system. Treasurer Jaclyn Symes said the budget “acknowledges the real challenges Victorians are facing” as families continue to grapple with ever-rising costs fueled by global conflict and national inflationary pressures. “Victorians that are doing it tough need affordable healthcare, great education for their kids and safe communities to live and work in,” she said. The government announcement is part of a broader $19 billion education spend this financial year, continuing a decade‑long expansion that has delivered 121 new schools since 2017 and an increase of 40,000 registered teachers. Infrastructure Schools will receive a major infrastructure uplift, with more than $1 billion allocated to maintenance, upgrades and new buildings. This includes $295 million for the expansion of performing arts and sports facilities at 31 schools across the state, $217 million to install modular classrooms in fast‑growing areas, and $104 million to acquire land for future schools in growth corridors such as Wyndham, Hume and Greater Geelong. A further $420 million will build four new schools and campuses and expand several existing ones, while planning begins for three more. Examinations and curriculum To restore confidence in senior secondary assessments, the government will invest $222 million to rebuild the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and implement the recommendations of the Blacher Review , following a series of high-profile examination blunders. The funding will stabilise the VCAA’s budget and overhaul its technology systems to prevent future disruptions. “Victorian students deserve a world‑class education, and this investment makes sure the VCAA can deliver it,” Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll said. “The [Blacher] review left no stone unturned in identifying what went wrong with the exams – and we're fixing them. “A stronger, more accountable VCAA means students, families and schools can have full confidence in VCE exams.” Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Education Ben Carroll. Picture: NCA Newswire/Alison Wynd. Workforce support Teachers and school leaders will benefit from a renewed focus on professional development and workforce stability. The Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership will receive $49 million to expand its programs, while $21 million will fund paid placements and support for pre‑service teachers in regional, rural and specialist schools. Additional funding will support best‑practice teaching and learning, including the rollout of the Year 1 Phonics Check and reforms aimed at reducing teacher workload. Disability support The Budget delivers more than $2.2 billion to support students living with a disability, labelled by the government as “the biggest reforms to disability support in public schools in the state’s history.” The investment will help schools improve accessibility, employ additional specialist staff and expand individualised support for students with complex needs. Every public school in Victoria now receives Disability Inclusion funding, with the government reporting strong improvements in inclusion since the program began. Premier Jacinta Allan said the investment will ensure “every student gets the very best education, whatever their additional needs are.” “It means children with disability can access care close to home at no cost, so families can focus on what matters,” she said. The budget also funds free, safe transport to specialist schools and free High‑Intensity Outside School Hours Care at 31 specialist schools, easing pressure on families. Early childhood expansion Early childhood education received a significant boost, with the rollout of government‑run Early Learning Victoria centres in communities where demand for childcare outweighs supply. Nearly half a billion dollars will go towards new and expanded kindergartens and childcare centres, including 22 new centres to be built on or near school sites to ease the strain of the “double drop‑off” for families. Child safety reforms are being strengthened through a $26 million investment in the new Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority, which will see compliance checks more than double across the sector. Free TAFE and vocational learning The Budget strengthens the state’s skills pipeline with over $459 million going to training, including continued support for Free TAFE, now protected under the Free TAFE Guarantee. Funding will support new TAFE Centres of Excellence, upgraded facilities and equipment, and wrap‑around services for students. “Free TAFE has already saved Victorians millions – we’re protecting it and building on it,” Skills and TAFE Minister Colin Brooks said. A further $137 million will expand vocational learning in schools, including support for the VCE Vocational Major, school‑based apprenticeships and programs connecting early school leavers with training or employment. Australian Education Union (AEU) Victoria President Justin Mullaly. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Josie Hayden. The Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian Branch welcomed investment in key areas but said the budget still fails to fully fund public schools and TAFEs. “It is completely unacceptable that our TAFEs are not funded to cover the cost of delivering courses,” president Justin Mullaly said. “This government says the budget is in surplus and the economy is strong and growing. If this is the case, how can it be that Victorian public education is at the bottom of the pile? “It is Victoria’s public school and TAFE workforces who step into the breach and make up the shortfall through hours of unpaid work every week.” Meanwhile the student voice is being overlooked, according to Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC) chief Julia Baron. “We’re seeing funding for buildings and systems, and targeted investment areas like literacy and numeracy, but less emphasis on the broader support, resources and conditions that shape how students learn,” she said. She said defunding the Teach the Teacher program meant that students have fewer ways to work in partnership with teachers. The innovative program included structured, data-informed feedback from students to teachers, and was internationally recognised. “Without that kind of model, student voice becomes less consistent across schools and more dependent on individual opportunities,” Ms Baron said. “Students need more than buildings, they need support, resources and a genuine role in shaping their learning.” VicSRC praised the extra funding in the budget for areas such as disability support. “Investment in disability support is critical to creating a more inclusive education system, and it’s important to see this recognised,” Ms Baron said.

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