Three out of five children are leaving primary school without the ability to swim to basic standards, which Lifesaving Victoria fears could lead to higher drowning rates in the future.
Research reveals that 60 per cent of children aged under 12 cannot swim 50 metres without assistance or stay afloat for two minutes, the yardstick used to determined standards.
High costs, transport issues and cultural barriers are the most common reasons for children failing to learn to swim properly.
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