A re-elected Victorian Labor Government would invest $43 million to make all 44 modern VCE languages available to students across the state, including Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Tamil, through expanded online classes at the Victorian School of Languages (VSL).
Premier Ben Carroll said learning a language could help young people maintain connections with their heritage while opening up future opportunities.
“Learning a language doesn’t just help young people stay connected to their past – it can unlock their future,” Carroll said.
“Labor will always back our Indian community.”
He added that Victoria’s multicultural community speaks hundreds of languages and every student should have the opportunity to study the language they want, irrespective of where they live.
“Every Victorian student should have the opportunity to study the language they want, no matter where they live.”
The commitment aims to remove barriers for students whose local schools do not offer the language they wish to study, particularly those living in regional and rural communities.
Under the proposal, the VSL would expand its online language programme from the current 17 VCE languages to all 44 modern VCE languages from 2028.
This would allow students to study Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Tamil online, regardless of whether their local school offers these subjects.
Labor has also committed to exploring the possibility of making Sanskrit available to Victorian students.
More than 16,000 Victorian students are studying a VCE language this year, while around 800 currently access online language classes through the VSL.
The proposed $43 million investment would increase the school’s capacity to deliver online classes and provide thousands more students with access to language education, regardless of where they live.
Minister for Education Gabrielle Williams said the investment would improve access to language education, particularly for students in regional and rural communities.
“By investing in the Victorian School of Languages, we’ll give more students better access to language education – particularly in regional and rural communities.”
The announcement forms part of Labor’s education commitments ahead of the Victorian election.
The government has contrasted the proposed investment with what it describes as a $40 billion cuts agenda from a Liberal–One Nation Coalition, arguing that reduced education funding could put language programmes at risk.
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