Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 January 2017
431. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the reason a primary school is receiving a lower allocation per pupil as part of the information technology grant announced recently compared to a pupil at a secondary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1538/17]
View answerThe recently announced ICT Infrastructure Grant represents the first tranche of funding committed under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020: Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, launched in October 2015. This outlines the Department's vision to further embed technology and digital learning in primary and post-primary schools, through detailed actions in areas including curriculum support, digital content, and teacher CPD.
The rates of per capita payment being given to primary and post-primary students for the ICT Infrastructure grants reflect the rate difference of the overall capitation paid by the Department to students in primary and post-primary schools. Post-primary schools generally have a greater number of teaching spaces to equip and maintain, and have a broader curriculum and more specialised curricular areas to support. The pupil-teacher ratio in post-primary schools is lower, which means that they generally have a greater number of teachers. This is the approach typically taken by the Department in relation to similar grant schemes that apply to primary and post-primary.
