States' outcry over delay in school computer payments

THE Gillard government's commitment to installing computers in schools is being questioned after it failed to meet a scheduled payment to states.

THE Gillard government's commitment to one of its signature programs, installing computers in schools, is being questioned after it failed to meet a scheduled payment to states and school systems in August.

The $2.2 billion school computer program winds up at the end of June with public and private schools around the nation due to receive the final payment of $200 million from the federal government this financial year.

Under the funding agreement for the digital education revolution that Kevin Rudd promised would give every student in Years 9 to 12 "a toolbox for the 21st century", the federal government had contracted to pay $100m at the beginning of August, with the final instalment due at the beginning of next month.

But the payments are yet to be made to the states and territories, which distribute the money to the Catholic and independent systems, and The Australian understands the states have been told the Treasury department is withholding the money.

Education ministers in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia confirmed they were yet to receive their payments while the independent school sector wrote to School Education Minister Peter Garrett earlier this month seeking an explanation for the delay.

Under the terms of the funding agreement, the states and school sectors must supply a six-monthly progress report on the installation of the computers, which was due on July 15, with the payment made at the beginning of August on acceptance of the progress report.

A spokeswoman for Mr Garrett said the assessment of the July 2012 progress reports had not been completed and further information would be available once the assessments were finalised.

The spokeswoman said the assessments had taken longer than in the past because now the ratio of one computer for every student had been reached, the Education Department had requested extra information about the "strands of change" included in the funding agreements, being infrastructure, leadership, teacher capability and resources.

Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said his state had met all its obligations to receive the funding but "had still not seen a cent of the August payment . . . While we've been assured that the money is coming, the unexplained hold-up has meant that we've had to delay our computer purchasing arrangements for the 2013 school year," he said.

West Australian Education Minister Peter Collier said students were being disadvantaged by the delay. "It is disappointing that federal government processes are impacting on the ability for schools to plan and replace ageing computers," Mr Collier said.

A spokesman for Victorian Education Minister Martin Dixon said the state was yet to receive its share of the funding, and of further concern was the $66m a year for the replacement and maintenance of the program.

"There has been no commitment from Canberra to cover this cost," the spokesman said.

"Despite the best intentions around Canberra's crusades and revolutions, educational outcomes have not improved, but the Victorian government has been saddled with a legacy of waste and mismanagement."

The independent school sector also believes it has fulfilled the requirements of the funding agreement in providing progress reports, and despite numerous inquiries with the department has not been given any satisfactory explanation about the delay. It is understood the Catholic school sector is in the same situation.

The future of the program beyond June is in doubt, with the federal government saying it is a matter for negotiations with the states and territories, and talks are yet to start.

The federal Education Department told a Senate budget estimates hearing that 64,000 computers would become obsolete during this financial year.