schools receive funding for computers

Media Release, The Hon Julia Gillard MP, 12 June 2008

The Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Ms Julia Gillard, announced on 12 June 2008 that 896 secondary schools across Australia would receive funding for 116, 820 new computers under the Rudd Government’s $1.2 billion Digital Education Revolution.

In Victoria, 39 independent schools received first-round funding.

Ms Michelle Green, Chief Executive of the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria, welcomed the fact that most of the funding for schools in the independent sector had been provided to schools from low socioeconomic communities.

In a media release, Minister Gillard said that the schools had been identified as being most in need of new computers having a ratio of one computer for every eight students or worse.

The $116 million in funding from Round One of the National Secondary School Computer Fund would bring these schools up to a ratio of 1:2.  Under the funding agreements, Education authorities have up to two years to ensure the purchase and installation of the computers in the 896 schools.

Round Two applications will open on 14 July 2008, allowing all remaining schools across Australia to receive funding for a ratio of 1:2 by the end of the year.  The government is providing grants of $1000 per computer to schools through State and Territory Governments or non-government school block grant authorities.

The Minister said the funding would deliver savings through bulk purchasing arrangements that can be used for associated costs. ‘For example, if a computer can be purchased for $500, the remaining $500 can be used for upgrading power supplies or installing wireless connections.’

Ms Gillard said funding for Round One was determined following an audit by state and territory authorities of all schools across Australia, including the public, independent and Catholic schools sectors.

Newspapers reported that the Shadow Minister for Education, Mr Tony Smith, claimed that the $1,000 per computer would be insufficient to meet the associated costs of new computers.

Click here to read Minister Gillard’s media release or for further information.

 

 

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