Education Minister Priya Manickchand says over 90% of the Information Technology (IT) Laboratories installed in 95 secondary schools countrywide are in use and are functional while works are progressing to establish others by year-end.
Manickchand’s statements were made in a written response to a three-part question posed by APNU MP Amna Ally in the National Assembly.
Ally had asked the minister to tell the National Assembly whether the IT equipment given to secondary schools was in use and functional; to list the schools where the equipment was not functional and to state how soon such equipment would be functional.
In a response circulated at Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly, Manickchand said while it was impossible to say at any specific moment that all the equipment was in use and functional, based on feedback from the regions and visits, it was found that “over 90% of the IT labs are in use with functioning computers.”
The minister also submitted a list of schools providing details about the status of labs, ongoing works and challenges. According to the list, computer systems have already been procured for IT labs to be established in Port Kaituma, Region One, at Wakapau, Region Two; Dora, Region Four; Belladrum, Region Five; Waramadong, Region Seven; Aishalton and Annai in Region Nine; and at Ascension and Carmel Secondary, the David Rose school, Freeburg, Queenstown and St George’s secondary in Georgetown this year.
Civil works are in progress and the computers have been delivered at Belladrum in anticipation of the network being set up this month. Systems have also been procured for the Region Nine labs and will be set up by year-end while civil works have been done and systems delivered to labs at six city schools in anticipation of the setting up of networks this month. At Wakapau, the lab will be established by year-end.
Manickchand listed power problems as the main challenge to the labs being set up and functioning in the far-flung regions; however, works are to be completed this month end at the labs in Mahdia and Paramakatoi schools in Region Eight. Meanwhile, the labs at the Central and Kingston schools in Georgetown will be set up in 2014.
