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Advisory council to lead the way on language education

Monday, 28 March 2011

Victoria is one step closer to having one of the world’s most diverse and effective languages programs, thanks to the establishment of an advisory council which will be chaired by the Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship, Nicholas Kotsiras.

The Ministerial Advisory Council for a Multilingual & Multicultural Victoria (MAC – M&MV) will be the pre-eminent source of advice on the implementation of education-related policies outlined in the Coalition Government’s Plan for a Multicultural Victoria.

Mr Kotsiras will be the first Victorian Government Minister to chair such an advisory council, which will include representation from community groups, teacher and principal associations, business, industry, universities and the school sector.

“The Baillieu Government is committed to ensuring our children have the opportunity to learn a second language, to help give them a headstart for the future,” Mr Kotsiras said.

“Complex and challenging issues are impeding truly effective languages education in all our schools and this is an opportunity for the development of languages and multicultural education.

“This highly-qualified advisory council will begin the conversation about those challenges and devise ways to address them,” Mr Kotsiras said.

Minister for Education Martin Dixon said the MAC – M&MV would help the Coalition Government revolutionise languages education in Victoria.

“The Baillieu Government has made a long-term commitment to improving languages, English as a Second Language (ESL) and multicultural education,” Mr Dixon said.

“While Victoria’s participation rates in languages education are among the highest in Australia, we are still lagging behind our international counterparts, and there are many areas in which we can improve.

“That is why the Baillieu Government has resolved to provide languages classes for every Victorian primary school student, to invest in the languages teacher workforce and to provide funding for specialist resources,” Mr Dixon said.

The MAC – M&MV will initially focus on increasing the availability of quality languages learning in schools and the community and, in future, will advise on policy, planning and implementation advice on ESL and multicultural education programs.

110328 Kotsiras-Dixon - Advisory council to lead the way on language education (PDF 36KB)