A FURTHER 9,000 teachers stand to gain under the latest round of the Computers for Teachers scheme announced this week by Nicol Stephen, Deputy Education Minister.
Primary and secondary teachers will be able to apply for pound;200 to offset the costs of a modern home computer after Mr Stephen increased Scottish Executive spending by pound;2.5 million.
The scheme attracted more than 4,000 teachers in the first year and 6,000 teachers in the second. A third of the total teaching force will have taken advantage of the scheme if the additional sum is swallowed up this year.
Many teachers have already taken advantage to go online. Applications last year went way beyond ministers’ expectations and this year’s investment is an acknowledgement of the scheme’s success.
“We have announced new funding to make sure we keep up the momentum,” Mr Stephen said. “The huge level of interest in this scheme proves that teachers recognise the importance of the new technologies and the key role that they play in developing children in Scotland.”
The Scottish strategy has been more popular than the English equivalent, which is under review. This offered up to pound;500 in the first year to any teacher but limited the model of computer to an approved few and forced teachers to sign up for New Opportunities Fund training in information and communications technology.
Last year the scheme caused anger when it was limited to key stage 3 (early secondary) mathematics teachers only.
Applications for the third phase north of the border will begin in November and will be handled by Learning and Teaching Scotland.
The Executive will meet the tax and National Insurance payments behind the subsidy. As in earlier schemes, teachers will be able to choose their own model, provided it meets a minimum specification.
