The ongoing and increasingly public debate over TAFE funding in Victoria has descended into an unseemly brawl, with thousands of teachers descending on Central Melbourne to protest the cuts.

 

The $300 million cuts to the state's TAFE sector sparked across the sector, with the Public Service Union recently estimating that cuts across the broader education sector could result in as many as 950 jobs being lost, with the Australian Education Union (AEU) saying that figure could go as high as 2,000.

 

The State Government has defended its education record, saying that contrary to what the AEU argued, the country's TAFE funding has actually increased over the 2011-12 budget.

 

State Minister for Education, Peter Hall, issued a statement arguing that the $1 billion in funding over four years was more than sufficient to meet the demands of the sector.

 

"The Coalition Government's training reforms will ensure the state's uncapped demand-driven training system remains sustainable and relevant to Victoria's need for a skilled workforce," Mr Dixon said in the statement.