Education Minister, Maria Eagle, today spoke of the vital role of technology in building bridges between communities.
The Minister was closing an international conference on the role of information and communications technology (ICT) in bridge building and social inclusion at the University of Ulster in Coleraine. She was joined by Sile de Valera, Minister in the Department of Education and Science in Dublin.
The conference featured accounts by speakers from Israel and Lebanon on how technology has helped build links between societies in conflict.
Maria Eagle said: "I am very pleased that Northern Ireland was chosen as the venue for this conference. Over the last five years, it has become a world leader in the use of ICT in education, with more than £180million invested in computers and ICT infrastructure in schools through the C2k programme.
"This technology is vitally important in preparing our young people for life and work in the 21st century. But, as this conference has heard, technology can also help bring communities together, which is why it is so important for Northern Ireland's schools.
"The conference has heard how technology is being used to develop educational links between students from diverse backgrounds and by those societies in or emerging from conflict.
"I am very pleased Minister de Valera has joined us today to help celebrate the 'Dissolving Boundaries' programme which is funded by our two Departments.
"This programme has used technology to forge links between more than 230 schools on both sides of the border, and is an excellent example of how young people on the island of Ireland can use ICT to help break down barriers."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Conference Background
- The international conference on the 'Role of ICT in bridge-building and social inclusion' was held between 11th and 13th September 2006 at the University of Ulster's (UU) main campus at Coleraine.
- The Conference was jointly organised by Dr Roger Austin, UU and Dr Ruth Firer from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and it has a particular focus on how Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is being used to develop educational links between students from diverse backgrounds and by those in societies in conflict or emerging from conflict.
- The Conference has provided and opportunity to showcase the 'Dissolving Boundaries' programme which is jointly funded by the Department of Education in NI and the Department for Education and Science in Dublin.
ICT in NI Schools
- The 40,000 networked C2k computers, together with existing multi-media systems, and 12,000 laptops, have brought the average computer/pupil ratio close to 1:5 and the computer/teacher ratio to well over 2:1
- all grant-aided schools have a Local Area Network (1245 in total), bringing curriculum and administration systems together, with fast, filtered Internet access at every workstation
- all primary schools have 512 Kb connectivity and post-primary schools at least 4 Mb broadband (up to 10 Mb in some cases)
- all grant-aided schools are connected to a Data Centre providing always-on, protected access to an online learning environment.
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