Internet connectivity on the rise in Europe's schools
New figures on Internet connectivity in schools in three EU Member States show that Germany and the UK have succeeded in increasing the number of schools connected to the Internet, but still lag behind Sweden. Until the launch of an action plan by the German Federal government in partnership with Deutsche Telekom, Germany ranked poorly in school Internet connection scoreboards. Three years ago, only 15 per cent of schools were connected to the Internet. Some 35,000 schools now have an Internet connection and the last secondary school was connected in October of this year. More teacher training is however still needed: a year ago only 13 per cent of German teachers felt they were competent in using the Internet, compared with 53 per cent in the USA. The UK is now displaying similar results to Germany. According to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, 96 per cent of primary schools are now connected to the Internet. Among recent initiatives, a 'computer for teachers' plan was adopted. UK primary schools now have one computer for every 11.8 pupils, compared with 17.6 in 1998, whilst secondary schools have one computer for every 7.1 pupils. In 1999 Sweden already had an average of one computer for every ten pupils in primary schools and the country remains ahead in the European race towards overall Internet connection. Sweden concedes however that access is not always equal across the country. 86 per cent of primary schools and 95 per cent of upper secondary schools are now connected to the Internet, but access varies according to ethnic background, gender, age, education, income and housing area. Information technology (IT) skills also vary among adults, with the gap between those with and without skills increasing.