ICT Report 'Investing Effectively' 25/9/08

Statement by John Carr, General Secretary, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, On ICT Report 'Investing Effectively'

Schools need delivery of computers not reports – INTO  

The INTO today accused the government of wasting more than €100,000 of taxpayers money on the distribution of a report to every school in the country. Earlier this month, multiple copies of a report on computers in schools entitled, Investing Effectively were couriered to every school in the country.

The union described the delivery of the report without any commitment to funding for school computers as a cynical exercise designed to give the impression of progress where there is none. The union said the funding could have provided more than 300 computers to schools.  

John Carr, General Secretary, said the reaction of teachers to the publication and distribution of the report in this manner was almost universally negative. “Teachers want effective investment in school computing, not glossy reports delivered by couriers telling them what they already know about the need for effective investment.”

The report was compiled by a Strategy Group established by the Department of Education to advise on the spending of €252 million in the National Development Plan on school computing. It states that a lack of sufficient and sustained investment over recent years has resulted in insufficient and aging computer equipment in schools, no provision for technical or backup support and inadequate levels of broadband internet.  

“Now instead of funding to put right this deficit, schools get multiple copies of a report ironically entitled Investing Effectively, said Carr. “There is no investment,” said Carr, “and hasn’t been any for years. Instead all schools get is a report, the publication and distribution of which in this manner is little more than a vanity project.”

The report argues that if Ireland is to successfully meet the challenge of providing school-going children with the skills and capabilities required for the future then investment is needed now.

The union said teachers have become cynical about government’s commitment to investing in school computing. “The publication of the report in this manner without any firm commitment to investing in schools computing only strengthens those opinions.  

The report itself states that confidence in the quality of schools’ technology and a consequent favourable disposition towards ICT usage among teachers has been dented due to lack of follow-on programmes and consistent funding. “This is a nice way of saying that teachers patience is wearing thin,” said Carr. 

The report recommends that investment be frontloaded in the first three years of the NDP period. “Half of that timeframe is history already” said Carr.   

ENDS