A GOVERNMENT scheme to improve teaching in British schools is turning into a
bonanza for some computer firms, who are getting much more out of the system
than they are putting in. And schools are warning that when government funding
stops, they may be lumbered with expensive computers that they cannot afford to
maintain.
In 1994, the government offered schools a one-off grant of 拢100 000 and
three more years of central funding of 拢100 per pupil, so long as the
schools could each raise 拢100 000 of sponsorship from industry. The scheme
is intended to improve teaching in languages, technology, maths and science, and
the money can be used for capital projects or to update teaching equipment. To
date, 151 schools have won funding under the scheme, having attracted a total of
拢15 million in sponsorship from industry.
But questions are now being asked about the scheme, because some computer
companies are not only receiving publicity through sponsorship, but are also
making more in sales to the school than they originally contributed. In one
case, a school received 拢50 000 in sponsorship and then spent nearly
拢100 000 buying PCs from the same company.
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鈥淭his kind of sponsorship is fairly typical of what goes on,鈥� says John Ward,
development director at the National Consumer Council, which this month released
a report on sponsorship in schools. 鈥淭he question has to be asked what
conditions are attached to the sponsorship.鈥�
Ward says most of the material provided for schools by sponsors is excellent,
but adds that the scheme enables firms to create brand awareness in children who
will eventually become consumers. 鈥淚n the US, the computer industry has been
very interested in getting contracts with schools and promoting their software
for home use,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he implication is that no responsible parent would
allow their child to be without the software for homework.鈥�
But others are confident that safeguards built into the system will prevent
abuse. A spokesman for Xemplar, a joint venture between Apple and Acorn aimed at
schools, says there are also examples of schools that have won sponsorship from
one company, but spent the money on equipment from a rival firm.
Mary Wallis, headteacher at Eltham Hill School in southeast London, believes
the tendering regulations governing large purchases should ensure that
sponsorship deals remain fair. She is more worried about what will happen after
government funding is withdrawn. Eltham Hill is currently using some of its
grant money to upgrade its computers and employ a part-time technician to look
after them.
All Saints Catholic School in Barking, east London, also employs a technician
to care for a three-server network of 100 PCs. Bob Ding, a teacher at All Saints
and treasurer of the Association for Coordinators and Teachers of IT, says:
鈥淥nce we lose the funding we have a real problem servicing the PCs. The more
machines you have, the bigger the liability.鈥�
