On Tuesday, I visited Parliament House alongside Julianna Addison MP, Jacinta Ermacora MP, Martha Haylett MP, Michaela Settle MP, Lizzie Blandthorn MP and Elizabeth Labone from the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) to sign a Building Blocks Partnership Memorandum of Understanding.
The agreement will support the development of a new 99-place Early Learning Centre on the site of St Mary’s Primary School, Swan Hill. This is a very exciting opportunity for the school and the broader Swan Hill community, helping to meet the growing demand for high-quality early childhood education.
During the visit, funding was also confirmed for two important school projects, focussed on completing feasibility studies for the construction of two kindergartens, including:
- $149,900 for St Brendan’s Primary School, Coragulac
- $149,300 for St Patrick’s Primary School, Koroit
We also welcomed the opportunity to raise several other matters of importance to DOBCEL and our schools, including access to government-contracted school bus services, planning for new Catholic schools and the need for adequate capital funding.
National Catholic Education Conference
From Sunday to Wednesday next week, I will be in Canberra for the annual National Catholic Education Commission conference for Executive Directors and Chief Executive Officers representing Catholic education governing authorities across Australia.
As part of the conference, I will chair the National Regional, Rural and Remote Directors Forum, which provides an important opportunity to discuss the issues and opportunities specific to our regional, rural and remote schools and communities.
Delegates will also meet with the Federal Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP, and the Shadow Minister for Education, Julian Leeser MP, to discuss key priorities for Catholic education nationally.
Enterprise Bargaining Agreement
I would like to acknowledge the significant work being undertaken by principals, business managers and Catholic Education Ballarat staff as we collaborate on school and CEB budgets for 2027.
Considerable planning has occurred over the past 12 months. All schools budgeted for a $1,500 bonus in December 2025 and a seven per cent salary increase in 2026, based on the EB25 offer. This forward planning will help mitigate some of the financial impact of the likely outcome of the current enterprise bargaining negotiations.
Importantly, our staff will continue to maintain pay parity with equivalent Victorian Department of Education employees—a commitment that has been upheld since the late 1990s.
While the anticipated salary increase is significant and well deserved, it will also present financial challenges for schools and the broader system, particularly as much of the additional cost remains unfunded for the Catholic sector. Careful financial planning and prudent stewardship will therefore remain essential in the years ahead.
New Podcast Episode: A Global Perspective on DOBCEL
Filmed at our STEM MAD event last month, our latest podcast features Paula Doran in conversation with internationally renowned Finnish educator Professor Pasi Sahlberg. Together, they explore what Pasi sees happening across the DOBCEL system—and why this work matters well beyond our own schools.
As many of you know, Pasi has worked alongside DOBCEL in the development of Strategy 2035, drawing on decades of international experience as a teacher, researcher, policymaker and adviser to education systems around the world. In this conversation, he reflects on the importance of giving young people genuine agency, the power of teachers and schools to create meaningful change, and what events such as STEM MAD can tell us about the future of education.
This is a thoughtful conversation about students, teachers, innovation and the capacity of education systems to think boldly about what comes next—with a globally respected educator who has been closely involved in helping DOBCEL shape that future.
With best wishes,
Tom Sexton
Executive Director