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Review finds schools need to smarten up when procuring ICT

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ICT experiences vary greatly between UK state schools owing to a lack of technology procurement guidance from the Department for Education.

An independent review commissioned by education secretary Michael Gove found that state schools spent £487m on ICT equipment in 2009-2010, but that the quality of technology varied from school to school because investment was led by the institutions themselves.  

The report, setting out the review’s findings, was published last Friday.  

The review also found that many schools have an ad hoc approach to funding their ICT even though the government has tried to encourage them to think about ICT procurement strategically.

A spokesman for the Department for Education said that schools' methods of procuring IT would be overhauled following the review.

“We will be looking at it in detail but ministers are saying we need a more effective and targeted investment system,” he said.

Meanwhile, John Botham, education director at network firm D-Link, said that schools need to be smarter when it comes to procurement.

“With the likelihood of reduced LEA support in the face of budget cuts, ease of use and support for any new equipment will be vital," he said.

"One computer may be cheaper at purchase, but if it is unreliable, complex and comes with little or no warranty, in the long term it will be a huge drain on resources. Instead, schools must seek out the equipment that offers the best long-term value."

13 Apr 2011

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School Procurement

All schools now need to start to look at how their current system can survive now with web 2.0 apps - I would stake my home on the majority can't. There were over 231 changes to Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin in 1 week, it is no longer the dark area's of the internet were the main threats come from now, 80% of threats came from the 80% of most used part of the internet - this is the part were you, me and everybody uses. Schools have a huge task in protecting the minds of the children they have in their care, not just from explicit material or extreme view but from been starved of information and interaction. We need to show kids confidently to use new media without risk, if you say that you have no problem with visibility of your network that is because you have no visibility. What will happen with cuts? If schools don't look for alternatives to what they have now and conversation with new contacts they will have an increasingly difficulties to deliver the best of service for our future, our children. If anyone would like some help or advice please email me tom.frazer@vaioni.com

Posted by: Tom Frazer 14 Apr 2011

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