Senior secondary education
Victorian students have raised issues with the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) for many years. Over countless years of VicSRC Congress, students have continually identified the need for fairer, more equitable VCE opportunities.
In 2023, a VCE Vocational Major was introduced and at VicSRC's 2023 Congress, the advocacy priority "Definitions of Success" prompted discussions about the need to offer opportunities to shift the belief that success at school is focused solely on a student's academic prowess.
In light of this, VicSRC with the support of the Victorian Department of Education is establishing a Senior Secondary Pathways Student Advisory Panel in 2024.
SENIOR SECONDARY PATHWAYS REFORM
STUDENT ADVISORY PANEL
The Senior Secondary Pathways Student Advisory Panel is a new advisory group established by the Victorian Student Representative Council (VicSRC), with the support of the Victorian Department of Education. The panel is designed to give students an opportunity to talk directly with government about how to make senior secondary schooling better for every student in Victoria.
The panel will have a special focus on how to make sure as many students as possible get access to the opportunities they need to succeed once they leave school, whether they want to do further studies, go straight to work, or are still exploring their options.
The work of the panel will help to guide the Department of Education as part of their ongoing reforms to senior secondary schooling, which are focused on providing more students with pathways that suit their interests and goals.
The panel will be made up of 14 secondary school students from across Victoria who share a diverse range of experiences at school.
Take a look at the Panelist Role Description for further details and when you're ready to apply, you can click the button to head to our application form!
Campaign history
Victorian students have raised issues with the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) for many years and in 2018 VicSRC called for the government to review senior secondary education. Some of the major concerns students have raised are the stigma around vocational and applied learning pathways and the lack of flexibility within the VCE pathway.
In 2019 the Victorian Government appointed former VCAA CEO John Firth to undertake a review of VCAL and to recommend changes to this certificate. VicSRC participated in this review through multiple consultations based on feedback collected by students over the past few years.
The recommendations of the Firth Review included reforming senior secondary education in Victoria to a new certificate to replace VCAL so that VCE had two pathways – an academic major and a vocational major. It also includes a Victorian Pathways Certificate to replace Foundational VCAL.
In 2023, the VCE expanded to include the Vocational Major, meaning students can now study a new 2-year vocational and applied learning program within the VCE.
VicSRC has provided a great deal of feedback, participated in many consultations and workshops, and continues to represent Victorian students on the stakeholder reference group to oversee the implementation and design of the new senior secondary certificate.
In 2024, VicSRC will establish a Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Student Advisory Panel, with the support of the Victorian Department of Education, to offer students the opportunity to provide feedback directly with government with a focus on making senior secondary schooling better for every Victorian student.
Campaign timeline
2024
VicSRC will establish a Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Student Advisory Panel with the support of the Victorian Department of Education.
2023
VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways certificate enrolments begin.
2021 onwards
VicSRC sits on the Senior Secondary Reform Reference Group making sure students’ needs are always being considered throughout the reform process.
2020
Fair go VCE is voted a Congress priority
2019
Victorian government commissions review of VCAL
2018
VicSRC calls for a review of senior secondary
2017
Tackling stigma around VCAL is voted a Congress priority
What's happening now?
VicSRC is advising DET on the most effective ways to communicate the changes to the senior secondary certificate with students and will continue to provide feedback about how the reforms are being implemented and the impact on students.
A Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Student Advisory Panel will be established by VicSRC in early 2024 to talk directly with government about how to make senior secondary schooling better for every student in Victoria.
What does this mean for students?
A fully integrated senior secondary certificate will launch in 2025.