The Catholic education sector has hit out at the Andrews government's election-year budget, saying it denies parents school choice.
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As the public school sector embraced the government's $1.2 billion investment in state school buildings and upgrades, Catholic Education Commission of Victoria executive director Stephen Elder said the lack of capital funding for his schools was "disappointing".
"It’s fine for the state government to talk about booming state school enrolments, but they are denying parents choice by not providing adequate support to allow Catholic schools to meet demand," he said.
"It’s disappointing to see the lack of commitment in capital works funding for the Catholic school sector across the budget forward estimates, particularly given the support of recent years."
Mr Elder said he hoped the state government fixed this shortfall ahead of the November state election.
Labor announced ahead of the 2014 state election that it would spend $120 million on capital works at non-government schools over four years.
But the bulk of the funding has already been used, with the remaining amount to be spent this year.
The Catholic sector had been looking to the budget in the hope that funding would be extended beyond this year.
The Opposition's education spokesman Tim Smith said the state government had declared "a class and values war" on Victorian parents who send their children to Catholic and independent schools.
"In a short sighted and ideologically motivated decision, today’s budget saw the Andrews Labor government announce that they will no longer fund capital upgrades for Catholic and independent schools," he said.
He said the government was a "slave to the Australian Education Union and the public education lobby with its spending".
"By shutting out non-government schools, the Andrews government has added to the burden the state school system already faces," he said.
Education Minister James Merlino said the government would continue to work with the non-government schools sector to deliver the 92 projects funded through the program.
The grants program is designed to help build new schools and expand capacity at existing facilities in growth areas where there is enrolment demand.
Every dollar delivered through the program must be matched by the school or sector receiving it.
Almost one quarter of Victorian students attend a Catholic school.
This year, the sector opened schools in Wallan East, Craigieburn West, Torquay North and Bannockburn and Cowes on Philip Island.
It's understood the independent school sector was not expecting any extra funding for capital works in this year's budget.
A record $1.25 billion would be spent on new state schools and upgrades, including 12 new schools to accommodate a student boom. There will be a staggering one million students in Victorian schools by 2020.
"We know our state is growing faster than any other and we need to invest now to meet the demands of the future," Mr Merlino said.
