The Australian Government is working in partnership with states and territories and Catholic and independent education authorities to implement the National Secondary School Computer Fund (the Fund). In this context, funding to move to a computer to student ratio of 1:1 for students in Years 9 to 12 in Australian secondary schools is being provided biannually to education authorities through the Digital Education Revolution National Partnership with the states and territories and through funding agreements with Catholic and independent education authorities.
The Preliminary Survey
At the outset of the Fund in February 2008, a survey of computers aged four years or less in schools was undertaken to determine the existing computer to student ratio for students in Years 9 to 12. The survey data identified how many computers would be required to achieve the target ratio nationally and those schools in most need of investment in information and communication technology (ICT).
The Rounds
The survey data was also used to calculate schools’ eligibility to participate in three, application-based funding rounds. The aim of Round One, Round Two and supplementary Round 2.1 of the Fund was to bring all schools in Australia to an interim computer to student ratio of 1:2 for students in Years 9 to 12.
Round One opened on 3 March 2008 and closed on 4 April 2008. Schools eligible to participate in Round One had an identified computer to student ratio of 1:8 or worse for students in Years 9 to 12.
Round Two opened on 14 July 2008 and closed on 9 October 2008. Schools eligible to participate in Round Two had an identified computer to student ratio of between 1:8 and 1:2.
The objective of supplementary Round 2.1 was to provide a further opportunity for schools that had been eligible to apply for funding under Round One or Round Two but had not done so.
The guidelines developed and distributed to assist schools with the funding application process under the Rounds appear below.
Note that guidelines for Round Two were also applied to supplementary Round 2.1.
If you would like to know if a school received funding under the Rounds, contact us.
Additional funding
The Fund will ensure that the best equipment, technical support, training, infrastructure and resources are provided to meet the ICT needs of Australian schools.
In March 2008, the Council of Australian Governments commissioned a review to determine the legitimate and additional financial implications for education authorities arising from the implementation of the Fund.
The Review of Legitimate and Additional Financial Implications of the National Secondary School Computer Fund was informed by submissions from state and territory, Catholic and independent education authorities and found that a reasonable, overall estimate of the cost of deploying each additional computer stands at $1500 per device.
Subsequently, the Australian Government has provided $807 million to education authorities through On Costs funding agreements to ensure that computers purchased through the Fund are effectively deployed.