Posts
The survival of Becta and the critical role training plays in the use of ICT have emerged as teachers' priorities in an online Guardian poll on the future of schools technology.
In the poll, launched a week before the government announced its intention to scrap Becta, 48% of respondents to date viewed the education technology agency as the most valuable government education body while its home access programme to provide computers to poor families was the most popular initiative for retention.The strong backing for Becta has been welcomed by its chief executive Stephen Crowne who says it reflects the "dedication and expertise of Becta staff which has helped shape the use of ICT in schools and across the further education sector".
Jeff Smith, head of Anson primary school in London, which won a Becta ICT Excellence Awards in 2009, says losing the agency would deprive schools of a valuable source of specialist advice vital to supporting teaching and learning and e-safety.
