Parents cross their fingers that schools get IT right

Beverley Head
Sunday, 11 October 2009 09:59

IT People - Training

A review of State and Territory approaches to the investment of $2.1 billion allocated under the National Secondary School Computer Fund is not scheduled to take place before 2011, leaving students and parents to keep their fingers crossed that their Education Departments have got IT right.

Questions addressed to the NSW Department of Education and Training regarding the sustainability of its approach, which sees it gift notebook computers to students when they graduate from Year 12, were flick-passed last week by NSW DET to the Federal Government (see earlier story). Now a spokesperson for Education Minister Julia Gillard has flicked them right back, leaving parents and students none the wiser about how sustainable NSW’s approach will prove, possibly until 2011.

A spokesperson for Education Minister Julia Gillard told iTWire that the Government was investing $2.1 billion under the National Secondary School Computer Fund to ensure that all Australian school students in years 9-12 have access to a computer.  “This funding is paid to education authorities to purchase computers and is for a period of six years from 2007-08 to 2012-13.”

At the end of the second round of funding the Government claims that all schools in Australia will have been given the opportunity to obtain funds to reach the interim ratio of 1:2 computers to students and by 2011, the program will have delivered funding to enable schools to achieve a 1:1 computer to student ratio for all Year 9-12 students.

“The funding approach recognises that after four years, the computers will have reached their end of life and require replacement. The funding base includes a contribution to the replacement of computers,” according to the spokesperson.

Asked about the sustainability of NSW’s approach the spokesperson said: “Education authorities have approached implementation of the fund in different ways to accommodate the needs of their students and their own planning for ICT. Specific questions on the purchasing of computers are best directed to the relevant education authorities.”

However requests for further insights regarding the sustainability of its approach have drawn a blank from the NSW Department of Education and Training.

According to Ms Gillard’s spokesperson “An evaluation of the program will be undertaken in 2011 to review what has been achieved as well as considerations for the future.” She acknowledged that all government programs are subject to review in the event of a change of government.