Schools forced to raise €17,000 for computers

STATE-FUNDED schools are forced to raise up to €17,000 a year to supplement computers and technical support funding from the Department of Education, major research has found.

Almost 90% of the country’s 4,000 schools took part in the National Council for Technology in Education (NCTE) census on information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure last year.

On a positive note, there were just nine pupils to each computer at primary level, compared to 11.2 pupils per computer in 2002. At second level, the ratio improved from 7.4 to 7.1 pupils per computer since 2002.

But while much of the improvements may be attributable to Department of Education grants, the survey revealed huge levels of investment by schools themselves. The department is spending €10 million this year on ICT in schools, up from €5.6m in 2005.

But the average primary school spent €2,129 in excess of grants on ICT last year, of which €741 was spent on technical support, with the figure reaching almost €3,700 among larger primary schools surveyed.

Second level schools spent an average €11,583 on ICT, also with about one-third spent on technical support, but larger schools paid an average €17,078.

Almost half of primary schools had to fundraise or use contributions from parents to fund the investment, while more than one-third of second level schools indicated these as main sources of ICT funding.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said the report shows Government failure to invest in ICT is damaging Ireland’s future. “Where schools have modern computer facilities, they are the result of local fundraising or support from businesses,” said INTO general secretary John Carr.

Employers’ body IBEC branded the figures a disgrace and called on the Government to prioritise ICT investment.