Confusion over Victorian Government’s swim voucher program

The state government’s drowning vouchers for schools across Victoria have sunk without a trace despite the program being announced months ago.

The state government’s drowning vouchers for schools across Victoria have sunk without a trace, an investigation has found.

The government vowed to give schools “vouchers for catch-up lessons” missed during Covid-19 in October 2021 — the same year the state recorded its deadliest year for drownings in two decades.

At the time they said the vouchers would be “available this term” with bookings able to be made up until the end of June 2022.

But this week Leader spoke to schools across the state who were either confused about the program, didn’t know it existed or did but didn’t get sent the vouchers.

In Ballarat not one school has used a state government swim voucher.

About 90 primary schools in the regional Victorian town take part in swimming lessons across a number of City of Ballarat aquatic facilities.

To date, no Ballarat schools have used a voucher for catch-up lessons missed during the pandemic.

In Wodonga, on the border of Victoria and NSW, Wodonga West Primary School said it had not received the vouchers.

Baranduda Primary School, also in Wodonga, said it chose to instead use their funding to offer free swimming lessons inside school hours, rather than providing vouchers for out-of-school use.

But last year’s announcement said parents would be provided with vouchers to book additional out-of-school-hours lessons.

School principal Allyson Dixon said she wanted students to be able to access the lessons in school, free of cost.

“We didn’t want to add additional pressure on parents to get their kids to lessons out of school hours,” Mrs Dixon said.

“Ultimately, it’s about kids accessing the swimming lessons they missed.”

St Peter’s Primary School in Bendigo said it was unaware of the program.

School co-principal Michael Chalkley said “I don’t know what you’re talking about” when asked about the vouchers.

It is believed the government does not hold data centrally on the number of vouchers issued to students.

A spokeswoman said: “We’ve invested to make sure every Victorian child has the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe in the water – and that no student has missed out on crucial swimming lessons due to the pandemic.

“We’ve supported all Victorian government and Catholic primary schools that deliver swimming programs to roll over their 2021 swimming lesson funding, either as vouchers for students to use at their school’s usual facilities, or in the form of additional swimming lessons for the school throughout 2022.”

In October the government said bookings could be made until the end of June 2022.

With summer over in a matter of weeks, this week the government said students had until the end of December 2022 to use their voucher.