School networks and aid to Africa. A comparison.

[Dos_Box]

No flames please. It occurs to me that some schools can be compared to recent comments about aid to Africa in the media. Mostly along the lines of pointing out that given tha amount of money pumped into schools, some have remarkable little to show for it. Where did it all go (in schools)? How can some schools have pre-historic and poorly maintained networks given that most have had tens of thousands in grants given by the govt in recent years?
I'm at a loss to figure out where it has gone.

[tarquel]

I'd like to know why we dont get any grants anymore...

(probably because the "powers that be" here aren't bothered about chasing them)

but I agree with ya DB, tho I havent visited many schools, its a very good point

Cheers,
N.

[Dos_Box]

Are you not getting any Grant 31 money?

[russdev]

well....

Money has gone down to poor managment plain fact look at schools making departments pay for toners out of ngfl when that money is to bring n/w up tp spec.

I think goverment via lea's should do full review of where money was spent and if not spent on correct things make head teachers persoenly reposabale for it by asking for to resign.

money is there we have rm n/w cc3 but still have some old win 95 standalones in sen and some rm 2.4 w/s.

We want to replace the 2.4 this year with mini macs and move the 2.4 down to sen making therm standalone so can get rid of 2.4 server.

Then over time repalce sne computers.

But back on topic if money was managed well then would be ok i can see the case of having busiiness managers coming in to manage public sectors as they have understanding of managing companies which how a school should be managed in some ways.

Russ

[ChrisH]

Are you not getting any Grant 31 money?

10 Interactive Whiteboard
10 "Laptops for teachers"
5 PDAs for SMT
Exchange + 120 Cals
Dell server for exchange

Grant 31 pretty much wiped out.

[tarquel]

Are you not getting any Grant 31 money?

Never heard of it.... explain

[is it due to me being in Wales tho I know some grants are only available to England and not Scotland, Wales, etc. a while back when I looked into it a bit]

The guy that did look at funding left a loong time ago and ever since...as far as I'm concerned regarding IT...was never replaced so have no idea whats out there - if there is anything out there...

Cheers,
Nath

[Dos_Box]

And thats ALL you brought!!

[StewartKnight]

Grant 31 is from the Standards Fund, and comes to Schools automatically I'm afraid

[mark]

Just England or the whole of the UK?

[StewartKnight]

I believe it's all schools. More info available on teachernet for those bored enough to trawl through it!

http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/ictis/funding/

[ChrisH]

And thats ALL you brought!!

Didnt have much choice on that im afraid. Oh I did manage to squeeze 5 APs as well.

[Dos_Box]

Trust me, some schools spent theirs on magic beans and RM support.
Can you say (in a Teletubbie voice) 'All gone!'.

[Ric_]

I'm not exactly sure where our 31a money goes. My budget is separate and I just about get by. The stoopid rules for spending the grants (esp. the farce that is 31c - E-Learning Credits) mean that you often can't buy the things you need.

I guess this is akin to the trouble in Africa since their aid has conditions on it!

BTW - We have no magic beans and I've ditched the RM support contracts! YAY!

[andy]

Where can I buy some Magic Beans?

[StewartKnight]

if you can't get them in Africa, you can always protest in Edinburgh!