Remote students receive IT boost

An increase in IT hardware funding has been announced by the Queensland Government for geographically isolated students.

Education Minister Grace Grace announced the change to the Distance Education ICT Subsidy Scheme, which will see a rate increase from $250 per student per year to $400 per student per year, while attending the Isolated Children’s Parents Association (ICPA) State Conference in Blackall.

“I’m pleased to announce that the ICT subsidy for geographically and medically isolated students will increase to $400 per student per year from the start of the 2022/23 financial year,” Grace said.

“I would like to thank the ICPA for their delegations on this issue.

“The Palaszczuk government acknowledges the increased reliance on technology in students’ learning in recent years, and we acknowledge this reliance intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This increase in the subsidy will support our geographically and medically isolated students to maintain and replace their IT hardware as needed.

“Nearly 2800 students accessed this subsidy during the 2021/22 financial year, so this increase will benefit a significant number of students and their families.

“This is a permanent increase, with any CPI increases added to the new $400 baseline subsidy moving forwards.”

Grace said the increased subsidy for isolated students would go hand in hand with the imminent increase in internet speeds in rural and remote communities.

“We recently announced a $190 million partnership with Telstra to make internet speeds up to 200 times faster in all our schools,” she said.

“This partnership will also see Telstra invest $110 million to upgrade hundreds of exchanges across Queensland. Around 350 have already been identified and there will be more added as the work progresses.

“Work is already underway and hundreds of schools will benefit in the coming months.

“Around 40 schools will have a fibre-optic connection for the first time, and our more isolated communities will not be left behind.

“This contract allows us to utilise new technologies as they emerge, which will give us greater flexibility to improve internet speeds at our rural and remote schools.

“As a result of these upgrades, students from even the most remote parts of Queensland will have better access to quality, high-speed connectivity, and will get to enjoy all the opportunities that come with it.”

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