Computer Needs Of Schools Kept Secret

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday April 11, 2008

Yuko Narushima

The Federal Government is refusing to say which schools were eligible for the first round of its computer giveaway because to do so would flag the country's most inadequately resourced schools.

A national audit identified 937 secondary schools as most in need of funding after it found senior students there had to share computers with seven or more other people.

"We have collected initial audit data and identified the schools most in need," a spokeswoman for the Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, said yesterday. "We didn't feel we had a right to advertise which schools had a ratio of one computer for eight students or worse."

But the Opposition spokesman on education, Tony Smith, said the secrecy was motivated by a desire to protect state Labor ministers who would be embarrassed by the list.

"[It also] makes a mockery of Kevin Rudd's promise of open and accountable government," he said. "Parents have a right to know what is really going on at their child's school and what resources are actually available."

The computer giveaway was part of Labor's $1 billion election promise of a "digital education revolution". About $900 million was to be spent improving computer access for students in years 9 to 12.

The scheme has come under attack for creating extra costs for states and schools who will have to help pay the bill for infrastructure to support the equipment.

After dealing with the computer shortage, successful schools could use money left over to buy equipment such as interactive white-boards, data projectors, digital cameras, printers and scanners.

Applications for the first $100 million of funding was by invitation only and closed last week. Of the schools deemed eligible, 90 per cent had applied.

Ms Gillard said the interest shown was a sign schools understood the importance of computers for students' future. "There is a huge demand for computer technology out in our secondary schools," she said last week.

A list of schools to get early funding in the first round would be released in June, the department said. Applications for the second round of funding is open to all secondary schools in July.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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