Written answers

Tuesday, 28 March 2006

Department of Education and Science

Computerisation Programme

11:00 pm

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 497: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the computer-pupil ratio itemised on a county basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12239/06]

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 500: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the computer-pupil ratio at both primary and secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12242/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 497 and 500 together.

My Department derives its information in regard to computer-pupil ratios at both primary and post-primary schools from censuses carried out by the National Centre for Technology in Education. Three such censuses have been completed, in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

The latest statistical data available to my Department in respect of pupil-computer ratios is the autumn 2002 census. This found that the average pupil-computer ratio in primary and post-primary schools was 12:1, down from 37:1 in 1998, and 9:1, down from 16:1 in 1998, respectively. A county by county comparison was not taken at the time of the census and, therefore, is not available to me.

A further census has been taken in 2005 and a report of the information gathered in this connection is being finalised by the National Centre for Technology in Education, in conjunction with the Education Research Centre. This will be submitted formally to me in the near future and will include a county by county comparison of pupil-computer ratios. I hope to be able to publish this report shortly thereafter.

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 498: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of her Department's information technology strategy for both primary and secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12240/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The objective of the ICT in schools programme is to ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve computer literacy and to acquire the necessary skills for participation in the information society. The major focus for my Department under the programme at present is the roll out of broadband connectivity to all recognised schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry, following the establishment of a three-year €18 million joint Government-IBEC-TIF, telecommunications and Internet federation, fund to fund local connectivity at school level.

The broadband connectivity is being provided via a schools national broadband network, supported by HEAnet, in order to provide managed Internet access, e-mail, security controls and content filtering. A broadband support service is being managed by the National Centre for Technology in Education to assist schools with advice and information relating to the roll-out and ongoing use of their broadband connectivity within the schools network. The roll-out of broadband connectivity to 3,925 schools commenced last June and is due to be completed shortly. The overall costs of the schools broadband access programme, incorporating the local connectivity at school level, the national network and the service desk, are in the region of some €30 million over the initial set-up and ongoing costs over the three years.

The schools broadband access programme builds on the investment by my Department in grant aiding schools to develop their internal networks. Since December 2004, over 3,700 schools have received grants to develop their networking facilities at a cost of €20 million. The development of internal networking facilities in schools is critical to supporting schools' full exploitation of the potential offered by broadband connectivity and the efficient use of computer software.

In the area of curriculum development, the NCCA is currently developing an ICT framework to provide a structured approach to ICT in the curriculum and assessment for teachers of students during compulsory education. The framework will identify key learning experiences with ICT which all students should achieve by the end of the compulsory education. The new leaving certificate syllabi in technology and design and graphics are also coming on stream from the 2007-08 school year.

My Department is examining the future priorities for the ICT in schools programme. This work is being complemented by a census of ICT infrastructure which was undertaken by the National Centre for Technology in Education and will complement the earlier studies undertaken in 1998, 2000 and 2002. The report of the census is being finalised and I hope to publish the results shortly. Furthermore, my Department's inspectorate is conducting an evaluation of the impact of ICT on teaching and learning in primary and post-primary schools. It is envisaged that the overall evaluation will be completed by mid-2006.

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary and secondary schools with a broadband connection, itemised on a county basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12241/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is engaged in the roll-out of broadband Internet connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This project is being undertaken in partnership with industry, following the establishment of a three year €18 million joint Government-IBEC-TIF, telecommunications and Internet federation, fund. Following a competitive public procurement process, contracts were finalised with a number of service providers for the provision of local broadband access to 3,925 schools. A further 75 schools' broadband connectivity was being advanced separately under two pilot projects.

The following table outlines the numbers of schools by county which have either had their basic connectivity service installed and their router installed, either under the contractual arrangements or under the two pilot projects. As can be seen, over 80% of schools have had their broadband connectivity installed to date. It is expected that vast majority of the difficulties encountered in the remaining schools, either as a result of the failure of the initial technology selected or having regard to other local issues, will be addressed over the coming weeks.

County District No. Schools Installation of Basic Connectivity Installation of Router
Carlow 52 47 45
Cavan 90 83 79
Clare 137 121 119
Cork 455 405 388
Donegal 202 179 163
Dublin 646 536 512
Galway 284 251 238
Kerry 171 136 135
Kildare 127 110 100
Kilkenny 94 78 77
Laois 77 58 56
Leitrim 50 45 45
Limerick 183 163 160
Longford 50 47 46
Louth 90 73 66
Mayo 210 188 180
Meath 125 106 90
Monaghan 76 69 59
Offaly 80 68 61
Roscommon 103 78 71
Sligo 86 62 61
Tipperary 196 163 161
Waterford 96 77 75
Westmeath 92 70 54
Wexford 124 83 82
Wicklow 104 93 87
4,000 3,389 3,210

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