Victoria boosts bilingual education with $3.6m investment in kindergartens

“Victoria is simply a multicultural state, with languages and traditions proudly passed connected to the adjacent generation,” the Allan Government said, announcing that the 2026/27 state fund includes a $3.6 cardinal concern successful bilingual kindergartens.

The backing will beryllium delivered done the “nationally starring Early Childhood Language Program”.

About 7,000 children already payment from learning languages different than English successful kindergarten, according to the statement.

Close to 200 kinders to beryllium supported

The programme will support 197 kindergartens to teach 21 languages, including Arabic, Auslan, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Karen, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese, arsenic well arsenic six Victorian Indigenous languages.

Under the program, aboriginal puerility educators and connection teachers work together to embed connection into play, art, music, song, creation and storytelling.

“Bilingual kindergartens springiness children the accidental to link and stock connection and civilization crossed generations,” said Ingrid Stitt, the Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

The statement besides said “every kid deserves the champion start successful life, careless of background”.

It added that “the Labor Government introduced Free Kinder, the Labor Government is expanding it—and lone the Labor Government will proceed to support it”.

The fund besides commits astir $500 cardinal to present up to 22 kindergartens connected schoolhouse sites, 5 Early Learning Victoria (ELV) centres, grants for 27 caller kinders and expansions of existing services.

More kindergartens connected schoolhouse sites and ELV centres will beryllium built “where the request is greatest”.

An further $9.8 cardinal will spell towards continuing the Building Blocks Improvement & Inclusion Grant program, enabling upgrades crossed Victoria to marque centres safer and much inclusive.

Free Kinder was described by the authorities arsenic 1 of Victoria’s astir important cost-of-living measures.

New information shows 570,000 children person benefited from Free Kinder since 2023, with families redeeming up to $5,200 per child.

The statement from the Victorian Labor authorities said that “Only Labor has caller solutions to marque beingness easier, safer and much affordable. The Liberals chopped $1 cardinal from acquisition when past successful power—they adjacent scrapped Free Fruit Friday. Now they person an $11.5 cardinal achromatic spread successful their budget, which would mean much cuts impacting children.”

Lizzie Blandthorn the Minister for Children said that, “Every kid deserves the accidental to learn, play and turn successful kindergarten”.

“Free Kinder, caller kinders, caller schools—that’s what supporting families looks like. The Labor Government is investing successful Free Kinder—do the Liberals support it, oregon will they chopped it?”

VCAA restructure

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), liable for the schoolhouse program and VCE exams, will besides beryllium restructured. The state fund includes $222.2 cardinal to rebuild the VCAA, reconstruct assurance successful it and hole it for the future. The large backing boost responds straight to an autarkic reappraisal by Dr Yehudi Blacher.

It addresses two cardinal recommendations: ensuring the VCAA’s fund sustainability and upgrading technology to amended reliability. Reforms introduced past year are already delivering results, the authorities said, helping guarantee the successful transportation of VCE exams successful 2025.

“This year’s concern builds connected that advancement and secures exams for the agelong term,” the statement said.

“Victorian students merit a world-class education, and this concern ensures the VCAA tin present it,” Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll said.

“The reappraisal examined each facet successful item to place what went wrong with the exams—and we are fixing it.”

“A stronger and much accountable VCAA means students, families and schools tin person afloat assurance successful VCE examinations.”