Students in the South West will receive a better digital education, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.
The Victorian Budget 2017/18 includes a $16.4 million state-wide investment to improve bandwidth and digital connectivity for students in 347 small rural and regional Victorian government schools.
Gayle Tierney MP, Member for Western Victoria, said that Dartmoor Primary School, Casterton Primary School, Merino Consolidated School, Portland Primary School, Bolwarra Primary School, Portland South Primary School, Portland Bay School, Narrawong District Primary School, Cudgee Primary School, Woolsthorpe Primary School, Panmure Primary School, Macarthur Primary School, Grasmere Primary School and Warrnambool Special Developmental School would benefit from the funding boost.
It will double the internet bandwidth of these smaller rural and regional schools and level the playing field so that students and teachers outside of our cities are not left behind.
Rural and regional schools will have faster and more reliable access to online teaching and learning resources to support learning programs and an extended choice of subjects to choose from.
This year’s Budget also includes $67.9 million for better IT support for schools and students across Victoria.
This funding will see information technology across all government schools upgraded to provide reliable access to digital services in the classroom that are essential to teaching and learning.
It also complements the roll-out of ten new Tech Schools by renewing Wi-Fi in schools and implementing a new state-wide virtual conferencing system for more than half a million students in Victorian government schools.
These investments in digital education are part of the Labor Government’s larger investment of almost $300 million in a range of school-based programs to help boost the skills students need to thrive in the South West.
Quotes attributable to Gayle Tierney MP, Member for Western Victoria
“We are investing in these schools because we want local students to have the standard of digital education as metropolitan schools.”
“No student in the South West should miss out on learning the skills they will need for the jobs of the future.”
“This investment in IT services will be a great boost to these schools and their students.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education James Merlino
“We are doubling the bandwidth provision to 347 small rural and regional schools across Victoria to make sure all students can access a first-rate digital education regardless of where they live.”