25 November 2011
David Morris MP, Member for Mornington has announced Mornington Park Primary School and Mornington Special Development School are among the first of almost 300 primary schools that will receive funding for a welfare officer as part of a $124.4 million Victorian Coalition Government election commitment to help stamp out bullying and provide additional support to students and families.
The expansion of the Primary Welfare Officer (PWO) initiative will deliver on the Coalition Government’s election promise of an additional 150 welfare officers over the next four years to assist primary school students across the state.
The funding boost, announced in this year’s State Budget, will see welfare officers working in two out of three government primary, P-12 and special schools. Under the Coalition’s plan, every Victorian primary school will eventually have access to a Primary Welfare Officer.
Mr Morris said the Coalition Government had listened to the positive feedback from principals about the program.
“Principals of primary schools where the program has operated have been incredibly supportive of the work of welfare officers and have reported enormous improvements in students’ behaviour, attendance, willingness to learn and general perception of themselves.”
Mr Morris said the Primary Welfare Officers initiative would be supported by other measures to help teachers identify, prevent and manage bullying and behavioural issues.
Other commitments to improve student welfare include:
- $10.5 million for the eSmart initiative to help every government school and 300 Catholic and independent schools educate students about cybersafety and cyberbullying;
- $2 million over four years for teacher professional development to manage classroom behaviour;
- $4 million over four years to review and update bullying policies and programs for Victorian government schools.
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