Kids today have got it easy. Not only do they have mobile phones and the internet, they’re now going to get a free netbook just for going to a public school. So long as they live in NSW that is, with The Australian today reporting that the NSW State government and the Federal government have kissed and made up over funding for the free laptop scheme.
Sadly, there’s no mention on exactly which type of netbook years 9-12 students can expect to see come next year. They will have wireless though, and will connect to the Department of Education’s network through each student’s unique ID, which the Government claims will help prevent theft of the devices.
Students will also get to keep the netbook when they leave school, although you’d feel pretty bummed if you were in year 9 next year and you had to keep the same, 3-year-old netbook heading into uni… Those things aren’t that powerful to begin with, let alone 3-years down the track…
hugh
December 1, 2008 at 12:23 PM
heres a thought the laptops might be worth around say $1500 and theres about 30 kids in a class room that’s $45000 for a classrooms worth of laptops. that $45000 would be ruffly im guessing about the same as a teacher annual pay. so wouldn’t it be better for the students to double number of teachers and halve the students per teacher. and beside most classrooms already have one or to computers in them anyway.
and what about the parents who have just bought there kids a laptop will they get some remuneration? because i know a lot of Sydney’s bigger private schools already have laptop programs in place.
Report Permalinki think this is just a expensive band aid solution to a underfunded education system.
CINK
December 1, 2008 at 12:44 PM
One of my friends who is still in high school got a laptop from the school, along with the other students (All Saints High School – Liverpool NSW).
They got a white macbook – i was surprised that the school gave that type. apple ftw!
Report PermalinkMonkeyZu
December 1, 2008 at 3:04 PM
In general Netbooks have webcams. Given that these are year 9-12 kids, I hope there will be some lessons included about how nothing you put on the web is safe (fusking?), and what not post if you don’t want the whole school/world to see.
Report Permalinko
December 1, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Whgat about Queenland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report PermalinkLiyan
December 2, 2008 at 7:53 AM
I hope I get one! I am going into year 8 next year!!
Report PermalinkSean Wilson
December 2, 2008 at 7:49 PM
I want a MacBook, and nothing less. I’d rather have a discount on a MacBook than to have the same cheap, underpowered netbook as the guy sitting next to me.
Report Permalinkivan
December 3, 2008 at 12:16 AM
LOL I went to All Saints in LIverpool NSW too. Just missed out on all that shit with free MacBooks. Everyone from year 9+ seems ot have gotten laptops, and the senior college also got them. White 13″ free macbooks!
Report PermalinkAnonymous
December 5, 2008 at 10:12 AM
As a student in year 9-12 next year, I am surprised that the government would actually do something like this on such a large scale.
Report PermalinkMy mates seem to be pretty happy about it too. But then again, I’m pretty happy about any freebies.
anonymous
December 6, 2008 at 8:41 PM
Im in year 9 next year and properly when i leave school they will be antics i want dell or mac computers not lenovo or acer
Report PermalinkWill Higgins
December 7, 2008 at 12:46 AM
@hugh netbooks don’t cost $1500. You can get them for $300, and that’s retail. Buy in bulk, and things like the OLPC hover nearer $100.
And while having heaps more teachers would be great, how many new teachers do you think graduate from Universities every year?
Report Permalinklewster
December 11, 2008 at 6:59 PM
im going into year 9 next year i think th ideas great and in my school we dont need more teachers in my english class alone we have 3 teachers!? so it will be a great thing :)
Report Permalinkkaran from sydney = )
December 24, 2008 at 8:15 PM
well lets c my teacher for my geo elec class is a it expert as well n he reckons that the new netbooks r gonna be pretty crap
Report Permalinkand he warns evryone. “dont expect anyting which can run microsoft software or any games” because its gonnna be a piece of crap only worth $500 when each student is allocated $1500 dollars each or $2600 i think so mainly it all goes to the teachers N maintance. so the students dont benefit at all.
Andrew
February 1, 2009 at 7:53 PM
Why all the mac love? And anyhow I rather get a full sized laptop instead of a mac. 10x the apps and 1.5x the power for the same price!
Report PermalinkRUNS ONE LADDZ
June 12, 2009 at 10:18 PM
I’ve been thinking, if were gonna have to log in through the DET portal then its gonna block our sites. Anybody kno how to unblock sites?? Othawise if u keep wen u leave school then its gonna block sites wen u dont even go there anymore..
Report Permalinkjay
August 15, 2009 at 11:53 AM
it wont block your sites i.e. if they didn’t install or have a pre installed safety program.. that staff use for kids safety. (WE ARE MORE MATURE THAN THAT!!!!) the program they use to block sites at our school is called net nanny.
i don’t think you can unblock them. but there is a way to get in. go in cmd and do something. it will tell you the websites ip address and you can use the ip to get in from the address bar.
Report PermalinkMe
August 7, 2009 at 5:46 PM
If your in years 10-12 in 2009, and are annoyed about the government trying to forget us, and not to give us the free laptops! Sign the petition! Please! and spread the word!
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/give-nsw-students-in-years-10-12-in-2009-a-free-laptop.html
Report Permalinkanon
August 26, 2009 at 5:12 PM
supposedly by the end of this year,all year 9s at my school are getting laptops
seriously a real waste of government taxes because:
1. our grade already has 3 classes of students with laptops
2. school gets 249 laptops and we have 150 students. rumour is, if we break our laptops, no repair needed, GET A NEW ONE
3. laptops are a5 sized
4. the laptops are locked into the school system so you can’t use it at home
5. we HAVE to take it to school EVERYDAY
see how thats just stupid
Report Permalinkmost of us don’t even want a laptop
so the government has just wasted a heap full of money
WELL DONE
nicole
September 17, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Stupid system, I’m in year 10 and NONE of us got a free laptops, the stupid year 9 people got it first, and I have had ATLEAST 4 cases in the last week alone where I could have used it for homework purposes.
Report PermalinkFor those who say they don’t ant it, give it to my school, we certainly want them and majority would put them into good use.
C
September 19, 2009 at 9:36 PM
This should happen in all states. I’m a year 10 student in SA and my 5 year old laptop is starting to fail on me. I’m currently doing my schooling via correspondance so I:
A. Don’t have access to a school computer (well I do but my school is located 3 or so hours away)
B. Pretty much REQUIRE a computer to do my schoolwork (researching essays, doing some of my lessons via virtual classrooms, contacting teachers and doing my IT homework just to name a few)
The government would probably be better off just giving laptops to students who need them rather then just giving them to everybody
Report PermalinkYing
October 17, 2009 at 8:41 PM
I wish the Government got together a community group forum to discuss the ideas before they started. These comments are really worth considering. No offence, but it’s gonna increase visits to the optometrist…seriously.
Report PermalinkKristy
April 19, 2010 at 8:02 PM
Are they still give laptops in the All Saint High School now ? 2010 … someone from All saint .. CAn u tell me ?
Report PermalinkJaden
August 2, 2011 at 10:43 PM
I have a netbook that was given to me by the school and it is crap. They are slow and can hardly run and programs, there are always problems with them hardware and software wise. They are worth $500 and its easy to tell why. But i cant really complain they are free.
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