Education Minister Anne Tolley and Communications and Information Technology Minister Steven Joyce have announced the next 239 schools to receive government-subsidised network upgrades.
$37.5 million will be invested in this latest phase of the School Network Upgrade Project, which is part of the government's $1.5 billion six-year Broadband Investment Initiative.
“The inclusion of 239 new schools means that by the end of 2011 more than a third of state and state-integrated schools’ networks will be ultra-fast broadband-capable,” said Tolley.
Currently the number of schools that have been prepared for broadband speeds of 100 Mbps or over is around 473 with a further 100 in progress.
Joyce said, “We’re working to ensure 97% of schools, covering 99.7% of students, are on fibre in the next six years. This will make the New Zealand education system one of the most connected in the world.”
Out of the 239 new schools to be upgraded, 179 are urban centres and 60 are rural schools, of which 21 are in remote locations.
Tolley added, “We know access to ultra-fast broadband can significantly contribute to improving student achievement, by providing a much wider range of learning opportunities for both students and their teachers. It also has the potential to help schools to improve their assessment practices, operate more efficiently and reduce student absenteeism.”