A cool school start to 2023

After some glorious summer weather last week, it was a cooler start to school, as more than one million Victorian students headed back to the classroom this week.

According to the state government, across Victoria, more than 77,000 students will start secondary school this week, with a similar number starting in Prep.

Each Prep student at a government school received a free Prep bag with books like “The Two-Hearted Numbat” by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, a brother and sister team of Indigenous writers, a Meet the Mathscots ruler, a world map jigsaw, SunSmart stickers and a Get Your Move On frisbee.

The government said since 2014, it has invested $12.8 billion in building new schools and more than 1850 school upgrades.

It also said it was ahead of schedule in opening 100 new schools by 2026, with 75 new schools opening between 2019 and 2024.