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Re: [LUG] Open Schools Alliance

 

On 03/12/06, Peter Lloyd-Jones <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I suppose that MS just works is not a consideration?

But a) it doesn't just work - it needs just as much support as
anything else and b) it's more expensive than anything else.

More worrying is it's not just about Microsoft. There are a handful of
large software and 'consulting' companies that take the lion's share
of the UK education IT spending for delivering not very much. The
recent report on e-learning credits showed that most schools will
throw a huge some of money (when they have it earmarked for IT or
e-learning) at the biggest snake oil merchant passing by. 350 million
quid in a couple of years and did you notice an improvement in ICT in
schools - no, not even the committee  that was trying to find some,
found any.

Unfortunately it's the problem of finding people who actually know IT
and are prepared to work for painfully low salaries in schools and
colleges. You pay peanuts, you get somebody who did one of those MSCE
in 2 weeks for welders (no offense to dock-workers, but it's hardly a
strong technical background in how IT works) and just about managed to
memorise where to find things in menus.

A.

-- 
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