Response on technology not good enough

Federation has been lobbying the Minister about technology problems, writes JENNIFER LEETE.

Senior Officers have lobbied Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt about the need for proper technology support for schools, as well as the problems caused by the Government's failure to rollout any computers to schools during 2004.

On March 17 Premier Bob Carr issued a press release announcing that part of the planned 2006 computer rollout would be brought forward. This will mean that during 2005 39,000 new computers will arrive in schools. Delivery of these has only just begun.

Schools will not be able to meet syllabus requirements for their students if they don't have enough computers.

Schools will also find it very hard to meet syllabus requirements if the computers or systems they do have malfunction or break down and there is not adequate technology support available to quickly repair them.

Federation's Senior Officers have made representations to Ms Tebbutt to have the appointment of 129 new technical support positions brought forward to the first half of 2005.

Despite repeatedly announcing the 129 positions, the Government has failed to bring them forward in this way.

At the time of writing, Federation Council was to consider banning the year 10 Computing Skills Assessment (CSA) test.

The year 10 CSA is supposed to be a test of the various Information and Communications Technology (ICT) competencies which have been integrated into the new year 7-10 syllabuses. These syllabuses are being implemented for year 7 and year 9 in 2005.

The year 10 CSA is currently being trialled by the Office of the Board of Studies and current plans are for it to go statewide and be reported on as part of the School Certificate package in 2006.

Jennifer Leete is the Deputy President.

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