Vol. 484 No. 2
85 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Education and Science the estimated cost of providing optimum in-service training for a teacher at primary level and at second level in the use of information technology in the curriculum; and whether he has identified the prospective providers in this regard. [21715/97]
At the launch of schools IT 2000 — A Policy Framework for the New Millennium, I announced that the Government will invest £40 million in the programme. Some £25 million of this is for capital provision and the remainder, £15 million, will be used to implement in-service programmes for teachers at first and second-levels and to put in place the necessary support structures and services for IT 2000 generally.
It is my intention to ensure that a minimum of 20,000 teachers receive training in the use of ICTs. I will also ensure that pre-service training in the educational use of ICTs will be introduced for all new teachers.
The National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE), which will be established shortly, will assume overall responsibility for in-service provision in ICTs under schools IT 2000. The NCTE will develop a plan for continuing and developing the delivery of an optimum in-service programme for teachers in an efficient and cost-effective manner. It will also develop costings for the various categories of in-service delivery. There will be opportunities for all those organisations already involved in providing in-service to submit proposals for their involvement in future in-service provision for teachers under schools IT 2000.
