Govt to spend $136m on school network project

Photo / Thinkstock

The Government has announced it will spend $136 million over the next four years to complete the school network upgrade project.

Up to 1400 schools are set to receive the upgrade - which is 60 per cent of all eligible state and state-integrated schools.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye said the project would be completed two years ahead of time.

Of this funding, $50 million is new money and comes for the Future Investment Fund to pay for new public assets.

Both ministers said they were committed to having the project completed two years earlier than planned.

From June this year, wireless capacity will be included in the school network upgrade process.

"Many students I talk to want wireless so that they can do schoolwork wherever they are in the school," said Ms Kaye.

"We believe in the value of providing affordable, uncapped, high-speed, quality connections that will create learning opportunities for all students."

Ms Kaye said by 2016, 98 per cent of schools would have ultra-fast broadband connections.

Overall the Government is investing $1.35 billion in ultra-fast broadband network beyond just schools.