Ballarat Police are urging motorists to slow down around schools with our kids heading back to the classroom today after the summer holidays.
40 kay zones will be in play mornings between 8 and 9.30, then afternoons from 2.30 to 4.
Ballarat Superintendent Frank Sells the 40 km/h limit holds huge importance.
“If a pedestrian is hit beyond 40km/h their chances of serious injury and even worse go up. That’s why the speed limit is set at 40 km/h.”
2023 begins the fourth year in the COVID-19 pandemic for staff and students in Victoria, with remote learning orders in place for much of 2020 and 2021.
Despite the weariness of the turbulent years and reports that teachers are leaving the profession in droves as the results of COVID-19 burnout, teaching numbers in the Ballarat region look healthy.
While more than 1000 government teaching jobs are unfilled in Victoria as the school year resumes, just 8 of those are listed for Ballarat schools, 16 including schools in Beaufort, Ararat and Bacchus Marsh.
The Andrews Labor Government has also taken the opportunity of a fresh school year to announce a new program for 4-year-olds, but Ballarat kids have a bit of a wait to take part.
Six of Victoria’s Local Government Areas have been chosen to pilot the Best Start, Best Life program that offers 30 hours of teacher-led play-based learning every week, known as Pre-Prep.
Ararat is the closest LGA to the Ballarat region taking part, and will begin for the test sites in 2025.
From there, vulnerable children and Aboriginal children living outside the early roll-out areas will be eligible for 30 hours of Pre-Prep every week from 2026, while children experiencing disadvantage will be eligible from 2028.
Children from a refugee background, children known to child protection and Aboriginal children. Children whose families hold Commonwealth concession cards will be eligible for Pre-Prep from 2028.
The program will be state-wide by 2032, with the Ballarat region to be included after the metro rollout in 2030.
