Student disconnect leads to new classes at community college

Education Centre Gippsland says an "alarming disengagement" among years nine to 12 students with the state's mainstream schools has led to it expanding its offerings at its Warragul and Leongatha campuses this year.
It is adding year nine and 10 classes to the years 11 and 12 courses it has previously provided.
In announcing the new initiative the community college said the disengagement, that it attributes to a "fallout from the COVID pandemic", increased students' anxiety, mental health challenges and difficulty accessing psychological support.
The college said a growing number of young people had expressed dissatisfaction with the traditional ways of learning, keeping up with exams and the heavy academic workloads.
It said its core approach to teaching was to nurture relationships and provide individual attention to students.
The approach included integrating "real-world scenarios" in the curriculum with in-class and out-of-class activities such as excursions, camps and skills-based programs.
"The school's unique strength lies in its commitment to providing individual attention throughout the student's learning journey, giving a sense of autonomy, trust and connection with teachers and peer students.
"The curriculum is designed to build individual resilience, confidence, health, and practical life skills, tailored to respond to students' specific interests and passions.
More information about ECG's programs are available at ttps://ecg.vic.edu.au, info@ecg.vic.gov.au and by 'phoning 5622 6000.