Sir, As a computer scientist in the third level education sector, I write to raise some questions about the Government's decision 19 spend £30 million on Information Technology for our 4,000 schools. Before raising the questions, let me emphasise that I am not objecting to investment in the primary and secondary education sectors. Indeed, I welcome the provision of resources for this sector.
Any major investment in information technology, whether it be for a single family or for the nation's schools, should be subjected to a rigorous cost-benefit analysis in an effort to identify demonstrable gains for the users. This is particularly the case in the education sector where there are so many other established needs. In recent weeks teacher unions have pointed out the dreadful state of many schools in terms of poor quality buildings. In addition they have called for more remedial teachers and action to reduce large pupil teacher ratios. Resources for physical education and music are non existent in many of our schools.
But what of computers and the Internet? Well what are the established benefits of such facilities in our schools? Established in the key word here. Where is the evidence to show that such facilities provide significant educational benefit in schools. Anecdotal evidence from the US suggests minimal benefits which would not justify major investment.
Who is going to pay the ongoing and non-trivial running costs associated with IT in schools such as maintenance for computers, consumables for printers and the telephone costs? For example, if in each of our 4,000 schools the Internet is accessed for just one hour per day each day for 30 weeks, the phone charges mount to £1 million per annum. Will parents be asked again to foot the bill? Have alternatives been considered and costed? The expansion of the library system (open to the public all year around) or the provision of county computing centres where access to the public could be provided and courses run for the unemployed are just two possibilities.
Ireland has one of the best developed software industries in the world with many of the leading software companies operating from this country. One of the reasons for the success of the software industry in Ireland is the availability of highly skilled computing graduates. Our universities and regional technical colleges are "producing" computing personnel of the highest calibre. The provision of IT in the secondary sector will not address in any way the problem that we are not currently "producing" enough computing graduates. There is a more obvious solution to that problem. Yours, etc.,
Department of Computer Science, University College, Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4