New Zealand to upgrade wireless internet in schools

A New Zealand Government-led IT upgrade is set to improve schools’ wireless internet across the country. 

From February 2020, Crown-owned company Network for Learning (N4L) will start replacing schools’ switches and wireless access points while providing support from its helpdesk as part of the government’s Te Mana Tūhono – Technology in Schools program. 

The pilot rollout will start with 10 smaller state schools early this year, with 190 others set to receive the new parts and support by mid-2020. All up, over 2450 schools are expected to get internet upgrades in the next four years, according to N4L. 

“With schools becoming more reliant on the internet to deliver the curriculum, we need to ensure that all schools have access to high-speed internet that’s reliable, resilient, safe and secure,” NZ Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. 

“At the moment our wireless infrastructure doesn’t support us accessing what it has to offer. It’s really disruptive to our learning when it stops working, and is frustrating to both teachers and students,” Awakeri School Principal Craig McDonald-Brown explained.   

“We are really looking forward to N4L supporting us with establishing and maintaining a strong online connection. It means we’ll be able to spend more time focusing on our students’ learning without having to worry about managing and maintaining the technology,” he added. 

According to Hipkins, the program means, “Principals and Boards of Trustees of these schools can now be confident they have access to the support and tools for their students to thrive.”

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