Broadband in schools ‘pointless’ without PCs

AN €18 million programme giving free internet access to the country’s 4,000 schools is pointless without more classroom computers, teachers have warned.

The Government announced yesterday it is to contribute €3m and the remainder will be invested by telecoms firms. The aim is to have a broadband connection in every school by the end of 2005, providing faster download speeds and developing a central schools internet network.

But the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) said the number of computers in schools must be greatly increased if the programme is to be of any benefit.