Department of Education in Victoria, Australia

The Department of Education in Victoria, Australia is known by the full name the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is a part of the State Government. The role of the Department of Education in Victoria is to provide policy and planning advice in order to make the delivery of education more efficient. The Department of Education in Victoria serves an advisory role for two different State Ministers: the Minister of Education and the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development.

The Department of Education in Victoria follows a three-tier model, which consists of providing primary education, secondary education, and tertiary education. Primary education takes place in primary schools. Secondary education occurs in secondary schools or a secondary college. Universities and Technical and Further Education schools provide tertiary education in Victoria.

Government schools provide free education until year twelve, although this does not apply to overseas students or students who are over the age of 20 on January 1 of the year in which they enroll. Religious and secular independent schools can charge fees, which the Department of Education in Victoria subsidizes. Despite the fact that non-tertiary education is free, 35 percent of students attend a private primary or secondary school. The most of these private schools are Catholic.

In Victoria, the academic year is generally from late January until mid-December for secondary or primary schools, with Universities operating from late February through mid-November.

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