Student participation in curriculum planning

A group of students draped in pink streamers stand around a table where they have been working.

Young people have experienced the Victorian curriculum first hand, and are now being given the opportunity to have a say.

VicSRC Congress

VicSRC annually run an event called Congress, where students from all school sectors located in the metropolitan and rural regions of Victoria collaborate. Students 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 action teams are able to present their refined ideas to education stakeholders.

Transforming VCE

One of the top six priorities that came out of Congress 2018, by the name of ‘Transforming VCE’, centered itself around greater student involvement in the area of curriculum. We proposed that representation of young people on the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (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; We believe that young people should be involved in the decision making processes that affect them.

Student Representation on the VCAA Board

The VCAA is a statutory authority of the Government of Victoria, responsible for the provision of curriculum and assessment programs for students in Victoria. Through 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 (I’m not sure how many years it is exactly), and would love the opportunity to represent the views and values of Victorian students in VCAA’s discussions, you might just get the chance.

About the author

Zaituna VicSRC Executive Committee 2018-19

About the author

Wren VicSRC Executive Committee 2017-2019