More Victorian students are getting the vital water safety and swimming skills they need, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.

Minister for Education James Merlino today announced more than 26,000 Victorian Water Safety Certificates were awarded to students across Victoria in 2019. This is more than four times the number of certificates issued in 2018.

New figures also reveal more than 98 per cent of Victorian government schools offered swimming and water safety programs in 2019, up from 97 per cent in 2018.

In 2019, the Labor Government announced the introduction of swimming coordinators across the state to support schools to offer swimming programs. This includes supporting schools and learn-to-swim providers to award the Certificates to students who demonstrate the required swimming competencies.

The Labor Government has also invested $19 million for school swimming lessons, and an additional $4 million for Life Saving Victoria to help schools develop high-quality, cost-effective programs, in the last three Victorian Budgets.

Swimming was added to the curriculum in November 2016 with students to achieve equivalent of the swimming and water safety skills outlined by the Victorian Water Safety Certificate, which includes being able to swim 50 metres continuously, before leaving primary school.