Exclusive: Kids maintaining school computers

SCHOOLS are training students as in-house IT troubleshooters to help maintain computers.

Child using laptop

SCHOOLS are training students as in-house IT troubleshooters to help maintain computers.

High school students will lose the right to a free computer next year, as the Federal Government axes its $2.1bn laptop fund.

Australian Secondary Principals Association president Sheree Vertigan said some schools were turning to their own students for IT support, because they could not afford to hire computer specialists.

"In some schools, they skill up students to become good at maintaining laptops in the classroom and to be able to do the maintenance," she said.

"Some students like to do it. Some are very skilled in IT."

Ms Vertigan predicted schools would ask parents to provide computers next year.

"Schools will encourage students to bring their own," she said.

"A lot of schools are looking at parents buying their own devices, and offering them deals and support with programs and maintenance.

"Others are saying bring your own devices full stop, and the money they save from having to buy a whole classroom set of laptops is directed towards (disadvantaged students)"

The Federal Government has given the states and territories $2.1bn over the past five years to buy 967,000 computers for Australian schools, one for every student from years 9 to 12.

But the funding was discontinued in Tuesday's Federal Budget.

Federal School Education Minister Peter Garrett said computers could be purchased with funds from the Government's $9.8bn National Plan for School Improvement instead.

"This extra money will help schools buy new curriculum resources, including new information and communication technology equipment, so students get the skills they need in the 21st century," his spokeswoman said.

"The extra funding proposed under the Government's plan will be a permanent feature of the new funding system, so schools would no longer need to rely on grants or short-term programs."

The spokeswoman said the states and territories had known the laptop scheme would expire in June this year.