Victorian students and school communities continue to pay the price for the Allan Labor Government's mismanagement, as new figures reveal the extent of chronic teacher shortages across the state.
Data from the Department of Education confirms more than 1,100 vacancies within Victorian schools, including more than 900 teachers, education support class staff, more than 50 learning specialists, and 44 principals and assistant principals.
Despite claiming to have spent $1.8 billion of taxpayer dollars since 2019 on teacher workforce initiatives - a staggering $755,000 a day - teacher vacancies remain persistently high, as more than one in four registered teachers is not working in the sector.
Shadow Minister for Education, Jess Wilson, said: "With more than 1,100 teacher vacancies across the state today, Labor's failure to support staff in the classroom has resulted in a teacher shortage crisis that, even after a claimed $1.8 billion has been spent on workforce initiatives, has no end in sight.
"The consequences of Labor's teacher shortage crisis are that Victorian students are being denied the education they need and deserve, with students being forced into double-up classrooms or sent home to do private study because they don't have a teacher.
"Labor claims Victoria is the 'Education State' but with the lowest funded public schools per student, the lowest paid teachers in the country and learning outcomes at record lows, Victoria is anything but.
"With the government spending a staggering $755,000 a day on so-called teacher workforce initiatives, it's clear Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our education system, and Victorians are paying the price."
