2025-26 WA State Budget Overview - Investing in Education and Training

Investing in education

The 2025-26 Budget includes almost $1.5 billion new spend on education initiatives and infrastructure.

This includes funding for more than 500 local commitments to schools around the State, ranging from $10,000 to $512,000.

Supporting education

$708 million investment to meet student enrolment growth for both government and non-government schools, including $395 million to support students with disability.
$29 million to pilot free full-time, school-based kindy for four year olds at ten sites.
$15 million to boost before and after school care.
$28 million to expand the School Breakfast Program, and $10 million of support for school canteens.
$89 million for the second round of the WA Student Assistance Payment.
$30 million boost to School of Isolated and Distance Education to support more kids learning in regional WA.

School infrastructure

$130 million to construct Stage 1 of Brabham Senior High School.
We are progressing planning for 17 major school upgrades, as well as working to deliver Stage 1 of Como Secondary College redevelopment.
$42 million for the first tranche of our commitment to minor upgrade projects at 61 schools - undercover areas, courts, play areas, STEM facilities and parking.
$43 million towards the first tranche of our commitment to Cool the Schools through air conditioning upgrades at 45 WA schools.
$124 million uplift to school maintenance, and $27 million to deliver more transportable classrooms.
$8.5 million for the first tranche of new signalised road crossings to be installed near schools to enhance student safety.
$36 million recognising the skills and experience of Advanced Special Needs Education Assistants.
$8 million for upgrades to remote non-Government schools in the Kimberley.

New schools

We are progressing new primary schools in fast growing areas:

Planning will commence for Alkimos North SHS, a secondary school in the Dawesville catchment area, and a future primary school in Mount Lawley.

The 2025-26 Budget invests $331 million in TAFEs and training to ensure our workforce is equipped to succeed in an evolving global economy.

Skills for the future

$100 million investment to continue lower fee and Fee-Free TAFE.
$75 million to support more apprenticeships and traineeships through the Construction Training Fund.
$25 million to increase the number of subsidised construction trade apprentices to 1,000 through the GTO wage subsidy.
$22 million to increase the number of Fee-Free TAFE courses for the construction sector to train more tradies such as plumbers, bricklayers and plasterers.
$17 million to extend and expand our Heavy Vehicle Driver Training facilities and program.
$12 million to train hundreds of new apprentices to meet the opportunities of AUKUS.
$8 million to support employers to take on more mature-aged apprentices.
$34 million to ensure our TAFEs have the modern equipment they need to deliver the best training outcomes.

Fee-free TAFE

Over 46,000 Western Australians accessed free TAFE in 2024. This Budget we provide a further $100 million to keep the cost of TAFE courses low:

A Diploma of Enrolled Nursing previously cost $10,451; it's now free.
A Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care cost $3,452; it's now free.
A Certificate III in Bricklaying cost $2,649; it's free from 2026.