11 November, 2008 - Ministers launch scheme for high-tech classrooms in disadvantaged areas
DEIS schools to get €1m for new computers and digital equipment
A new scheme jointly launched today by the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD, and the Minister for Social Inclusion, Seán Haughey TD, will grant-aid schools in the most disadvantaged areas in improving their communications and information technology capacity in the classroom.
Under the Government's dormant accounts fund, which takes long-unclaimed money out of financial institutions and invests it in disadvantaged communities, €1 million is being made available to schools in the most disadvantaged areas for equipment such as computers and other communications hardware and software.
While grant awards will vary for schools, the maximum grant awarded to any individual school will not exceed €20,000.
The DEIS initiative, short for Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, is designed to ensure that disadvantaged schools benefit from a comprehensive package of Government supports.
Minister O'Keeffe said: 'The scheme I am launching today invites the 100 most disadvantaged schools to apply for ICT grants to help them to progress towards achieving Digital School Status.
'The Digital Schools Award, co-ordinated by the National Centre for Technology in Education, recognises excellence in a school's approach to integrating information and communications technology (ICT) in learning and teaching.
'Funding will be devolved to individual school authorities to buy ICT resources which may include computer hardware, software, peripherals, digital equipment and networking infrastructure.
'I believe that this funding will help schools in the most disadvantaged communities to build an enhanced ICT component into everyday teaching and learning.
'This extra money will add to the wide range of existing Government programmes designed to tackle educational disadvantage and it will make a significant contribution towards bridging the digital divide.'
The NCTE has issued invitations to the 100 high-priority primary DEIS schools serving the most disadvantaged communities to apply under the scheme.
Minister O'Keeffe said: 'Continuing to prioritise investment in tackling educational disadvantage remains a key priority for the Government.
'Despite the very challenging global economic environment in which we find ourselves, we targeted significant resources at our most disadvantaged schools in Budget 2009, with a range of additional financial and staffing resources provided to about a quarter of our primary schools and a third of our post-primary schools.
'As Minister, I will continue to prioritise investment in tackling educational disadvantage and I am determined to enhance educational opportunities for those most in need.
'Last week, for example, I concluded a new memorandum of understanding with Microsoft which extends its Partners In Learning licensing agreement to all disadvantaged schools in the DEIS programme.
'That agreement will enable these schools to access very low-cost desktop software and operating systems.
'The NCTE will be contacting all DEIS schools to advise them on how they can benefit from this agreement.
'As well as that, I will continue to meet other operators in the information and communications technology sector to explore cost-effective and innovative ways in which my Department could work with private industry in providing computers and other hardware to schools.
'Instilling an early appreciation of information communications technology will give our young people the best possible chance to pursue science, engineering and technology courses in the future so that, together, we can build Ireland?s knowledge economy.'
The Minister of State in Department of Education and Science, Seán Haughey TD, who is responsible for social inclusion, said the funding is a clear signal that the Government is intent on tackling educational disadvantage.
'This level of investment shows that those most in need of funding in our disadvantaged communities will receive it.
'It also demonstrates the importance the Government attaches to ICT in the classroom and the need to make computer literacy and high-tech awareness an integral part of the learning process for our young people,? said Minister Haughey.
ENDS
Note on digital school status
The fund is to support DEIS schools to achieve Digital Schools Award status. The Digital Schools Award is an initiative which recognises excellence in a school's approach to the integration of ICT in teaching and learning across the following five key areas:
- Leadership and vision
- ICT in the curriculum
- School ICT culture
- ICT professional development
- Resources and Infrastructure
One hundred schools will be invited to apply for the funding. Grants awarded will enable schools to upgrade ICT equipment and purchase new computers, laptops, printers, digital cameras or enhance their network capacity. The application invites schools to complete an ICT self-evaluation and to identify how the funding sought will facilitate the school in meeting the criteria for a digital schools award. The number of schools that will receive grant aid will depend on the applications received.
About a quarter of our 3,284 primary schools and a third of our 732 post-primary schools are in the DEIS programme.
