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Melina Bath applauds reversal of job cuts in visiting teacher service underlining significance of regional disability support for students

Melina Bath hails the reversal of Visiting Teacher Service job cuts, underlining the significance of regional support for students with disabilities. She critiques the Andrews government's initial decisions.

By news@gippsland - 22nd August 2023 - Back to News

Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Nationals MP, Melina Bath has congratulated families and disability advocates for forcing the Andrews government to backflip on its decision to cut 85 Visiting Teacher Service jobs. The Visiting Teacher Service (VTS) supports children with disabilities and serious medical conditions statewide.

Removing these sorts of fantastic frontline teachers is only going to put more and more pressure on our already overstretched classroom teachers, particularly in regional Victoria, says Melina Bath

Reversal of education cuts

Last month the Andrews government announced it was cutting 117 VTS specialised teaching jobs down to 32 to the dismay of students and families who rely on it. Ms Bath said this was a great day for regional students and their families, however the cuts should never have been considered by the Andrews government.

"Access to support services in the country is difficult enough without Labor constructing barriers for rural kids with disabilities who already experience educational disadvantage due to their postcode. The Andrews government's callous decision to cut educational support to students with disabilities can only be described as the cruellest of blows. Students with disabilities need additional educational support and funding, not less," says Ms Bath.

Support for disabled students

The VTS provides individualised frontline support to children with hearing, visual, physical, and mental impairments in mainstream schools and is particularly important to regional families with limited access to services.

Last week Nationals MP's met with members of the disability community in Melbourne to understand their concerns. Speaking in State Parliament Ms Bath strongly condemned Labor's decision before sharing the concerns of families and advocates.

Disability education advocacy

Ms Bath said families and disability advocates clearly articulated the significant learning barriers students would experience if the VTS was lost. "In regional settings, with limited access to support, the VTS provides one to one support to students with disabilities."

"Labor failed to consult with one family when making its decision and subsequently ignored all opportunities to engage and learn about the challenges students with disabilities in mainstream schools face."

"I remain incredibly grateful to the disability community for sharing and trusting me with their stories and allowing The Nationals to advocate on their behalf. Together we will continue to call for better educational outcomes and the removal of barriers for all students with disabilities," Ms Bath said.

Pictures from Melina Bath MP Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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