One PC for every five schoolchildren, says Blair

Posted on 27 Sep 2000 at 16:51

Prime Minister Tony Blair has pledged to raise the number of computers in schools, providing one for every five pupils in secondary schools.

The Prime Minister made the promise during his annual speech at the Labour Party conference in Brighton with a deadline of 2004. At the moment there's about one PC per nine pupils in secondary schools and one per 18 in primary schools.

The government will be spending extra cash in order to get schools up to scratch in all areas, it was announced at the conference.

"There will be an extra billion pound's investment in ICT (information and communications technology) to ensure one computer to every five children in our secondary schools," said Blair.

The money is part of the National Grid for Learning, Blair said, an initiative that will esure 75 per cent of pupils aged 14 would have basic computer skills by 2004.

Author: Caroline Gilmour