NZ Ministry of Education Projects Latest Threads

Fibre, no really, we mean it this time

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:25:33 +0000

OMG, no really, two of my schools have filled in the first bit of paperwork to get a fibre drop by half way through next year. I have even been to another school and SEEN a fibre drop that has been installed.

When it arrives we have even heard talk of the mythical 100mbit internet link being avalible. TBH in this country that is like being told that each school can now launch their own space program given how expencive and difficult such things were before. It is being handled by Telecom but the government is paying for it (the only reason Telecom - a private company - does anything to infrastructure).

We are still waiting to hear anything about SNUP which we signed up for a year or so ago but that is a different story. Yay, fibre.

NZ Microsoft Deal Renewed and AV Vendor Changed

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:20:25 +0000

The MoE in NZ have negotiated the renewal of the Microsoft agreement for another two years from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012. They have also announced the renewal of anti virus licensing for schools however have changed the product from CA Integrated Threat Managment to Symantec’s End Point Protection (SEP) antivirus.

This is great news for schools that no longer face loosing half of their IT budgets (subject to school) on software subscriptions. I am not sure about the switch to the Symantec product as in the near past it has been a bit of an underperformer but I have heard good things about their new AV core so am hopeing for the best.

TKI - The ICT Helpdesk - About the ICT Helpdesk

Latest news about the Microsoft New Zealand School Agreement 2010-2012 and the Ministry of Education’s new antivirus provider for schools
Latest updates

The Ministry of Education has signed a new agreement with Microsoft to continue commitment to the Microsoft New Zealand School Agreement from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012.
The Ministry is continuing to support anti-virus in your school. However, there has been a change of provider to Symantec’s End Point Protection (SEP) antivirus.
All information about these new agreements, including enrolment and registration forms, FAQs and all other associated documentation, will be posted to this site as at 1 September 2009.
Your school will be contacted by email to enrol and register in each of these programmes in the first week of September 2009.

I'm not sure exactly when the news was posted as my checks of the site had become less frequent given that this is the first update in two years

Overview of what is avalible from the MoE

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 21:08:01 +0000

This post is just an overview of what is avalible from the MoE to New zealand schools at the moment, if anyone finds any more please do add them to this thread.

As I have come across schools that were still running Office XP and paying for certain software titles as they had no idea that they were entitled free stuff I thought this thread might be a good idea:

As to what is avalible, the MOE offeres:

Free core Microsoft Software including Office, Windows, Encarta, Visual Studio which must be appyed for each year by filling in a form with the number of computers and sending it off to datacom. This gives you direct access to the MVLS portal so that you can download the required software as it comes out and you also get Software Assurance along with CDs posted out too. (http://www.tki.org.nz/r/ict/helpdesk/ms_faq_e.php)

Reduced cost Microsoft server software including ISA $380, Server Standard $85 etc. This is purchased yearly through Datacom along with the subscription to the other stuff. (http://www.dsv.co.nz/moe/)

Free antivirus and antimalware from CA in the form of CA ITM (http://www.av4schools.co.nz/) which is sent out once appied for and works on Windows, Linux, Mac.

Subsidised filtered internet access from either Telecom Schoolzone or Watchdog - ick to both but they are better than nothing, if substantially more expencive. They used to offer free liscences to surfcontrol filter and antispam but have stopped providing this to new schools and have not payed for any upgrades (http://www.minedu.govt.nz/educationSectors/Schools/Initiatives/ICTInSchools/ICTInitiativesAndProgrammes/ManagedInternetServicesSolutionsForSchools.aspx)

There is also a deal for Macs offered from the MoE which provides the latest version of Mac OS, iWork, iLife and Kidpix (http://www.red.co.nz/moesoftware) which is again free to schools to sign up to. They used to provide Office for Mac but have moved over to iWork.

Additionally there is the Laptops for teachers scheme which allos schools to lease subsidised laptops for each employed teacher in the school (hp, Toshiba or Mac) (http://www.minedu.govt.nz/educationSectors/Schools/Initiatives/ICTInSchools/ICTInitiativesAndProgrammes/LaptopsForTeachers.aspx)

Laptops for principals, in which the principal is given a free lease laptop (http://www.minedu.govt.nz/educationSectors/Schools/Initiatives/ICTInSchools/ICTInitiativesAndProgrammes/LaptopsForPrincipals.aspx)

And projectors for classrooms which offers subsidised projectors (http://www.minedu.govt.nz/educationSectors/Schools/Initiatives/ICTInSchools/ICTInitiativesAndProgrammes/ProjectorsForClassrooms.aspx)

Projectors for Classrooms

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:11:00 +0000

As an extention of the Laptops for Teachers scheme the MoE have added a Projectors For Classrooms initiative. This provides heavily discounted projectors to schools. The projectors offered have been checked out as good quality and capible of performing well in a classroom.

You do need a TELA logon to get pricing though (and IE or FF to view the site - Opera bombs):

Ministry of Education - Projectors for Classrooms