P.E.I. restoring IT funding for schools

From CBC Prince Edward Island:

Money for upgrading information technology in schools will be restored in next year's budget, Education Minister Alan McIsaac told the P.E.I. Home and School Federation Tuesday evening.

"Starting in April, so before the end of this school year, we'll be putting back in $500,000 into the IT program this year, a million dollars the following year, 500,000 the third year and 750,000 the fourth year," he said.

Peter Rukavina, secretary for the federation and a member of the Education Department's IT advisory committee, was pleased to hear the news, but he stressed spending the money effectively was just as important as the restoration of the budget.

"Job one, now that we know there is going to be money there, is to start asking people in the system who are going to use the information technology how that they can best use it," said Rukavina.

Teresa MacKinnon of Montague Home and School said government needs to do more to ensure children have access outside of school hours.

"There's families who don't have the technology at home," said MacKinnon.

"They're not always on a level playing field with students who have the technology at home, to go on the internet, to print off papers."