Minister Barr: Chromebooks rolling out in Canberra public high schools and colleges
- Written by ACT Government
Released 06/02/2018
Today I joined Minister for Education Yvette Berry to distribute some of the first Chromebook devices to public secondary school students at Kingsford Smith School.
This rollout delivers on a major 2016 election commitment by providing all year 7 to year 11 students in Canberra public schools a Chromebook device in the first three weeks of term 1 this year.
The ACT Government is delivering this commitment ahead of schedule. By 2019, we will have provided all Canberra public high school and college students with a Chromebook to use in their learning throughout their secondary school years.
Minister Berry said the start of the school year often brings stress for families, trying to find the money for an electronic learning device or trying to work out the best one to buy.
“The government has responded with this initiative – the first of its kind in Australia and recently echoed by a commitment of the South Australian Government,” Minister Berry said.
“In many ways a computer is the textbook of today and enables learning across all curriculum areas. Every secondary student needs one and this government initiative means that every public school student will have access to one, irrespective of family circumstances.
“The Chromebooks we are supplying are great devices that are sturdy, fast, and have great battery life. The devices also align well with existing ACT public school IT infrastructure. Students are already equipped with access to a specialised Google educational platform where they access Google applications for education. These devices safely and securely integrate into the Google platform.
“Having a common device using a familiar platform will allow teachers to focus on providing rich learning opportunities. Great teaching remains vital and in a modern context computers are an import tool that enable students to access learning.
“The ACT is leading Australia as the jurisdiction in the country to offer all public secondary school students technology-enabled learning devices at no direct cost to parents,” Minister Berry concluded.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Yvette Berry, MLA | Media Releases
