The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) implemented two major school infrastructure programs between 2007 and 2012—the Victorian Schools Plan (VSP) and the Commonwealth’s Building the Education Revolution (BER) program.
Effective asset management requires long-term planning, underpinned by a clear understanding of service needs and of the condition of assets. Ongoing maintenance of assets is critical to keeping them in a functional condition over their life cycles, and to making the most of public investment.
A total of $4.5 billion has been invested in government schools through the Victorian Schools Plan and the Building the Education Revolution program. As a result, the asset value of the 1 537 government schools has increased by 27 per cent to $13.9 billion.
Improving educational outcomes for school students has been a long-term policy priority of several successive state governments. It is the principal goal of the current government’s vision for school education reform, Toward Victoria as a Learning Community.
International research indicates that the physical environment in which people learn enhances learning outcomes if:
Prior to the Victorian Schools Plan (VSP) and the Building the Education Revolution (BER) programs, the government school portfolio comprised 1 597 schools with a combined land and building value worth $10.7 billion. As a result of VSP and BER, the value of the portfolio has increased by 27 per cent to $13.9 billion, and through mergers and consolidations, there are now 1 537 schools.
Ordered to be printed
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER February 2013
PP No 213, Session 2010–13
In accordance with section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994 a copy of this report, or relevant extracts, were provided to the departments of Human Services, Treasury and Finance, Premier and Cabinet, Health, and Justice with a request for submissions or comments.
The submissions and comments provided are not subject to audit nor the evidentiary standards required to reach an audit conclusion. Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.
Responses were received as follows:
Figure C1
Innovation Action Projects (IAP) as at December 2012
IAP |
Organisation |
Project objectives |
Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
Detour |
Melbourne City Mission, Kids Under Cover, Uniting Care Cutting Edge |
Support and housing for young people Provide skills and employment |
$1 556 869 |
Figure B1
Victorian Homelessness Action Plan 2011–2015 (VHAP)
components and progress as at December 2012
Funding |
Description |
Schedule |
Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
Innovation Action Projects (IAP) |
|||
$25 million | |||