Young people have experienced the Victorian curriculum first hand, and are now being given the opportunity to have a say because of the Victorian Student Representative Council’s advocacy.
VicSRC annually run an event called Congress, where students from all school sectors across the whole of Victoria collaborate and discuss programs and ideas that they believe will help, elevate and improve Victorian education, all with the redeeming purpose of finding ways for it to work more effectively for us as students.
Open Morning is the final day of Congress, where the groups of students present their refined ideas to education stakeholders, including the Victorian Minister for Education.
One of the top six priorities that came out of Congress 2018 was 'Transforming VCE', which was centred on greater student involvement in the area of curriculum design.
We proposed that representation of young people on the VCAA board would be a progressive step in the direction of student voice, engagement and empowerment. Similar to VicSRC's campaign to have students on School Councils, the same idea can be applied to VCAA.
We believe that young people should be involved in the decision making processes that affect them.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is a statutory authority of the Government of Victoria, responsible for the provision of curriculum and assessment programs for students in Victoria.
By having youth representation as part of the board, VCAA will be closer to a curriculum that demonstrates and reflects the views of Victorian students. This offers such great benefit to students as we will now have a point of liaison between the board and us, meaning our voices and opinions will become part of VCAA's decisions.
The VCAA board is comprised of 8-15 members appointed by Governor-in-council on nomination by the Minister for education, where VCAA is now calling on young graduates to apply to become members of the board!
This is no longer a hypothetical concept, if you have recently graduated from secondary school within the past two years, and would love the opportunity to represent the views and values of Victorian students in VCAA's discussions, apply now.
Young people are now being given the opportunity to have a say, so speak up and apply before they close on May 16th.
VicSRC is the peak body representing school aged students in Victoria and a partner agency of Youth Affairs Council Victoria.