Trust will get devices into Northland schools

Jo Brosnahan

A new education trust has been established in Northland with the aim of getting a portable computer for every year five student and up, particularly in low decile communities.

About 330 students in six Whangarei schools will this year pilot the new e-learning initiative set out by the Te Puawai Education Trust, established by Northpower at the end of 2014.

Northpower Fibre chairwoman Jo Brosnahan said the trust was modelled after a similar programme in Auckland which had resulted in an increase in student achievement.

"The trust is there really to support the schools and most particularly to support the [buying of] devices," Ms Brosnahan said. About $20,000 had already been put towards the establishment of the trust by Northpower.

However, it would be parents who would ultimately be paying for the devices.

The programme the trust was modelled after, Manaiakalani Trust in Tamaki, helped parents finance personalised devices such as computer tablets by letting parents pay for the devices over three years.

It is likely a similar model would be implemented in Northland, Ms Brosnahan said. But that did not mean parents would be forced to buying the devices as the trust was also looking into other options if parents could not afford them.

Ms Brosnahan said she was blown away by the results from the Manaiakalani programme.

"The most incredible things is the educational outcomes being achieved," she said. "It's such an exciting thing, actually."

The trust was not just about students having their own devices but about making sure the approach teachers were taking was e-learning focused.

It also focused on encouraging and training whanau on how to use the technology and encourage students to continue learning outside of the classroom, Ms Brosnahan said.

The six schools involved at this stage were Manaia View, Whangarei Intermediate, Te Kura Otangarei, Whau Valley Primary, Hikurangi Primary and Tikipunga High.

The pilot would, this year, work with two classes at each school involving about 330 students in total.