SOME €40,000 in funding has this week been allocated by
the Government for the purchase of high-tech IT equipment at St Tiarnach’s
Priamry School, Clones.
Welcoming the funding, Deputy Conlon said that the Government is committed to
making information technology a central part of the learning process from the
early stages of education.
“St Tiarnach’s Primary School will receive €40,000 for the purchase of computer
hardware, software and digital equipment,” Deputy Conlon said.
“This is the first time there has been funding per classroom at primary level
and I’m delighted that such significant funding has been allocated to this
school.
“The Government is very conscious of the need to invest in education in
technology from at early stage. St Tiarnach’s is one of 72 national schools
around the country in which major construction work was completed in 2008, and
which is now to receive this considerable ICT investment.”
The National Centre for Technology in Education will advise the school of the
range of equipment available and of appropriate equipment specification which
may include a fixed digital projector, an internet-enabled laptop computer and
a visualiser along with classroom computers.
The longer term goal of the Government to increase the take-up of science,
engineering and technology courses in third-level institutions to help build up
what the government is calling a ‘knowledge’ economy, which will help the
country remain strong in the globalised economy according to Deputy Conlon.
“IT skills are also required in many jobs now and this advancement in equipment
provision will benefit children regardless of what industry they eventually
work in,” concluded Deputy Conlon.
