Two primary schools in Kilkenny and one in Carlow will receive €115,000 in grants for high-tech equipment over the coming days as part of the government's continuing efforts to make technology an integral part of the learning process.
Minister of State John McGuinness said that the three schools will receive €5,000 per classroom to buy computer hardware, software and digital equipment.
The allocation amounts to €5,000 in respect of each permanent classroom built in 2008.
"An Tobar Mhuire Bhuac in Thomastown will receive €80,000 for 16 classrooms, Carrigeen National School will get €15,000 for three classrooms and in Carlow, Peadar agus Pol in Ballon will receive €20,000 for four classrooms," said Minister McGuinness.
"It'll enable schools to radically improve their information communications technology (ICT ) capacity in the classroom. This is the first time there has been an ICT allowance per classroom at primary school level and I'm delighted to see Kilkenny and Carlow securing their share of allocations," he said.
"The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE ) has advised schools of the appropriate equipment specification which should include a fixed digital projector, an internet-enabled laptop computer and a visualiser complemented by classroom computers," he said.
"These grants demonstrate the Governments commitment to providing the kind of high-tech hardware required to achieve a high standard of IT in our schools. The investment in schools' ICT infrastructure under the School Building Programme is significant and it'll be continued in all major building projects," concluded Minister McGuinness.
