Wednesday 17 May, 2017

Students in Gippsland 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.

Harriet Shing, Member for Eastern Victoria Region said that Gippsland Schools 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 aren’t 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 compliments 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 Gippsland

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.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing:

“We are investing in Gippsland Schools because we want local students to have the standard of digital education as metropolitan schools.”

“No student in Gippsland should miss out on learning the skills they will need for the jobs of the future.”