Written answers

Tuesday, 27 November 2007

Department of Education and Science

Computerisation Programme

8:00 pm

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 464: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the level of funding provided to schools towards information technology; if she will acknowledge that many schools throughout the country are functioning without computers or using inadequate computers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30559/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Since its commencement in 1998, there has been significant investment in the ICT in Schools Programme, in providing computers to schools, professional development ICT courses for teachers, improving the availability of digital content, integrating ICT into the curriculum and in supporting schools to integrate ICT into their teaching and learning. The recent priorities under the Programme have been the development of schools' internal networking facilities and the provision of broadband connectivity for schools, which my Department has pursued in partnership with the Telecommunications and Internet Federation within IBEC. Other recent developments include the introduction of the new Technology syllabus and the revised Design and Communication Graphics syllabus at Leaving Certificate level which were introduced this year with an associated investment of some €14 million to schools to upgrade their facilities.

Disadvantaged schools are also benefiting from the €3.4m ICT Grant scheme for DEIS Schools from the Dormant Accounts (Educational Disadvantage) Fund.

While the ICT facilities in our schools have improved considerably, I am conscious of the need for further investment to ensure that we are realising the full potential of ICT to improve the learning experience for our young people. Our Programme for Government sets out our commitment to implementing a comprehensive Schools ICT Strategy. This strategy will be underpinned by the investment of €252m in the National Development Plan 2007-2013.

I appointed a Strategy Planning Group to advise me on the prioritisation of measures under the planned investment over the period of the NDP. Among the issues which the new strategy will address are the upgrading and renewal of hardware, the provision of software and digital content for learning, teacher professional development, curriculum development, the maintenance of the national broadband network for schools and technical maintenance and support requirements.

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