Department of Education and Training (Victoria)

The Department of Education and Training (DET) offers learning and development support, services and resources for all Victorians, from birth through to adulthood.^[1]

Purpose

Ensure a high-quality and coherent birth-to-adulthood learning and development system to build the capability of every Victorian.

Values

The Department of Education and Training (the Department) is a learning organisation. In our relationships with colleagues, children and young people, adult learners, parents and families, partners and local and global communities we commit to the following values:

• collaboration and knowledge sharing
• outcomes
• respect and diversity
• empowerment.

Key responsibilities

The Department is responsible for:

• Providing policy advice to the three portfolio Ministers
• Implementing early childhood development, school education, and skills and higher education policy
• Designing, funding, regulating and delivering portfolio services
• Improving the effectiveness of the state’s overall learning and development system.

The Department brings together a range of services for Victorian children, young people and adults. These services cover three overlapping life stages:

• Early childhood development (birth-8 years) - These services reach over 400,000 children and families, and include maternal and child health services, early years learning and development, including early childhood education and care services, and early childhood intervention services.
• School education (5-18) - These services reach over 850,000 students and include primary and secondary education, special education, health and wellbeing.
• Higher education and skills (15-65+) - These services reach over 890,000 learners and include vocational education and training, higher education, apprenticeships and traineeships, and adult, community and further education.^[2]

The Department supports and advises three Victorian Ministers:

• the Minister for Education, James Merlino
• the Minister for Families and Children, Jenny Mikakos, and the
• Minister for Training and Skills, Steven Herbert

and helps with the management and administration of their portfolios.^[3]

• There are also equivalent state and territory departments in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania.
• In South Australia, the equivalent is the Department of Education and Children's Services.
• In the Northern Territory, the equivalent is the Department of Employment, Education and Training.
• In Queensland, the equivalent is the Department of Education, Training and Employment.

See also

• VELS
• Victorian Certificate of Education
• Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
• Ultranet (product)
• Special Assistance Program

DET website links

• Department of Education and Training, Victoria website
• About the Department
• News
• Department Structure
• Programs and Initiatives
• Early Childhood
• School
• Further Education and Training
• School term dates for Victoria
• Statutory Authorities in the Victorian education portfolio
• Contact Us
• Annual Reports 2011-12

References