2021 06 Computers for schools

Computers for primary Schools

With the country in lockdown, schools only partly open and operating in bubbles it was largely impossible for Rotary to participate in their normal youth programmes.  As a result of dinner meetings not being held money normally spent on such events was accumulating with the Treasurer.

Recognising that online communication was playing a greater part in everyone’s life a project to assist primary schools in the area was born.

Supported by a generous donation from the Catholic Church, Rotary has been able to provide 11 different primary schools across the Midhurst & Petworth area with a total of 50 computers assisting staff and pupils to develop their online skills and their e-safety awareness which is now an essential part of the school curriculum.

With school budgets outstretched reaction from Head teachers was enthusiastic to Rotary’s offer often stating how big a difference it was making to on line learning with one reply stating that this was the best news received for a very long time.

One surprise was that each school is left to pursue their own programme for hardware purchasing demonstrating that each school is required to plan their own policies with regard to specification and how they are best deployed.

On receiving their new computers it was not long before Rotary received pupil reaction with many letters of thanks from both staff and children who were delighted with their new acquisitions. A number of children spoke of frustration with the older models which were taking 10 minutes just to log on. From the tenor of the letters it was clear that schooling in lockdown has become much harder. Below is a picture of Midhurst Primary School learning from their new computers.

Robert Morrison