ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən mˈɪnɪstɚ dʒˈeɪmz mɜːlˈiːnoʊ stˈeɪɾᵻd ðˌæɾə sˈɪŋɡəl vˌiːsˌiːˈiː sɚtˈɪfɪkət wʊd mˌeɪk ɪɾ ˈiːziɚ fɔːɹ stˈuːdənts tə ɡɛt ɐ ɹˈeɪndʒ ʌv skˈɪlz, bˈoʊθ ˌækədˈɛmɪk ænd voʊkˈeɪʃənəl., wɪððə səspˈɛnʃən ʌv vˈiːkˈæl ˈɔːlsoʊ ɪn ɹᵻspˈɑːns tə ðə stˈɪɡmə ðˌɐɾɪt ɪz sˈoʊlli fɔːɹ nˈɑːnˌækədˈɛmɪk stˈuːdənts.
Education Minister James Merlino stated that a 'single VCE certificate would make it easier for students to get a range of skills, both academic and vocational.', with the suspension of VCAL also in response to the stigma that it is solely for non-academic students.