Victorian TAFE teachers working seven unpaid hours on average each week
A new report has found Victoria's TAFE system receives the lowest "per hour" funding in the country, prompting fears the growing state will fail to meet critical skills requirements.
New research highlights that Victorian TAFE teachers are working an average of seven unpaid hours each week, a situation exacerbated by the Free TAFE program introduced in 2019. The Australian Education Union (AEU) commissioned research from independent think tank Per Capita, which found that Victoria receives nearly $2 less per hour in funding for TAFE education compared to the national average.
The report warns that the funding shortfall is threatening the state's ability to address critical skills shortages. TAFE teacher Elizabeth Chiarelli, who trains childcare workers, notes that larger classes have made it difficult to provide individualized attention to students, many of whom have additional needs such as language, literacy, and numeracy support.
The research recommends shifting from a per hour enrolment model to block funding per course, raising the per hour rate, and linking any expansion of the Free TAFE program to commensurate funding.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
