VCE agriculture enrolments in decline

Ag enrolments at tertiary level are stronger than ever, but the VCE subject has been dropping numbers steadily. What’s gone wrong?

Enrolments in VCE agriculture and horticulture studies have been declining for the past five years in Victoria, with boys losing interest at a higher rate than girls.

The VCE subject has gone from 279 students in Units 3-4 in 2015, to a low of just 188 students completing Units 3-4 last year. The trend is in stark opposition to the interest at tertiary level, which has seen ag college enrolments hit a high last year.

Victorian Association of Agricultural and Horticultural Educators president Andrew Cosby said a lack of trained agriculture teachers, lack of ag facilities on campuses and the fact ag is “not high on the agenda” for school leaders were the main factors contributing to the decline in secondary schools.

“Jobs are out there, but half of it is trying to convince schools that this is a good pathway.

The schools are not committed to it,” said Mr Cosby, who teaches ag at Elisabeth Murdoch Secondary College at Langwarrin.

While the agriculture sector contributes more than $15b to the state economy, far more students are enrolled in niche courses such as VCE religion and society, which last year had 1590 Unit 4 students.

Figures from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority showed 133 females and 146 males completed VCE ag Units 3-4 in 2015.

Numbers have fallen every year since.

The gender balance tipped female in 2018, when 133 girls completed Units 3-4 compared to 115 boys.

The decline may be reversing, however, with 338 students enrolled in Units 1-2 last year.

Agriculture teacher Sarah Byrne from East Loddon P-12 College at Dingee said interest in the subject had been on the rise at her small school over the past three years.

Their main hurdle was having enough students to be able to run the course – a more difficult challenge with just a single class at each year level.

“Because we are a small school those numbers can sway,” she said. “Having five kids wanting to do a subject can make the difference to whether we can run a subject or not.”

This year, East Loddon had five Year 10 students – all female – studying VCE Units 1-2 agriculture and horticulture, and two students – both male – studying Units 3-4.

The peak in interest from females was a positive change, Ms Byrne said.

“We have two female teachers. That wouldn’t worry the boys either way,” she said. “But I’d say for some of the girls, that is making them say, ‘oh hang on … I can see myself doing that’.”

Despite the statewide VCE trend, Ms Byrne believed agriculture careers had become more appealing for secondary students.