Figure B1
Summary of ministerial orders with specific requirements for school councils

We have consulted with DET and VRQA, and we considered their views when reaching our audit conclusions. As required by section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994, we gave a draft copy of this report to them and asked for their submission or comments. We also provided a copy of the report to the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.

DET's response is included below.

RESPONSE provided by the Acting Secretary, DET

Schools are an operational arm of DET—DET is responsible for their core function of delivering educational outcomes, acting on behalf of the minister. However, responsibility for managing government schools is split between DET and the school council, with the school principal accountable to both.

School councils are authorised to do all within their statutory powers to meet their objectives and perform their functions. It is important that school councils use their considerable powers responsibly and, to do this, they need to understand their governance responsibilities.

As required by the PA Act, DET provides guidance, training and advice directly to school council members to assist them to understand their responsibilities. This support also helps school council members to develop the skills and knowledge they need to perform their duties.

School councils are part of the governance framework for Victorian government schools.

Under the ETR Act, the objectives of school councils are to:

• assist in the efficient governance of the school
• make decisions in the best interests of students
• enhance the educational opportunities of students at the school
• ensure schools and school councils comply with their legislative obligations.

To achieve their objectives, school councils have functions that relate to strategic planning, finances and community engagement.

The Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (ETR Act) establishes school councils within Victorian government schools and outlines their objectives. These include to ensure efficient governance of the school, make decisions in the students' best interest, enhance educational opportunities and ensure the school complies with its legislative obligations.

The Victorian Auditor-General’s Annual Plan 2018–19 was prepared pursuant to the requirements of section 7A of the Audit Act 1994, and tabled in the Victorian Parliament on 6 June 2018.

The Auditor-General undertakes financial report audits for over 550 public sector entities each year. Around a third of these are undertaken solely using VAGO staff. The remainder are undertaken with the assistance of private sector firms—audit service providers—contracted by the Auditor-General. We review this work, and all audit opinions are issued on behalf of the Auditor-General.