Two local national schools have been awarded cash grants from the RISE Community Fund.
The funds for the primary education facility in Lisnafunchin in county Kilkenny and Carlow Educate Together form part of a new national programme of cash injections to schools in every county this year.
Backed by National Broadband Ireland and partners in the delivery of the Government’s National Broadband Plan, including KPMG, DreamDev Technologies, TLI Group, Entegro, Obelisk and Circet, aim is to support technology investments that enhance digital learning and maximise the benefits of high-speed broadband connectivity.
Lisnafunchin National School Principal Shane Campion says; “At Lisnafunchin National School, we are committed to ensuring all students have equal access to digital technology and resources that support their diverse learning needs. This grant will help us further develop creativity, digital learning, and cyber awareness within the school. Our students will have more opportunities to design and publish work in a variety of formats, while also expanding activities such as 3D design and printing. Additional Chromebooks and tablets will help us continue to build these skills, while supporting our wider school values around biodiversity and sustainability.”
While his Carlow Educate Together counterpart Simon Lewis notes; “As a school, we strive every day to create a happy and safe environment for everybody by cherishing difference and respecting ourselves and others. Carlow Educate Together is a 16-classroom school with two autism classes. We are delighted to receive the RISE grant and hope to increase the number of Chromebooks in our school to further support children’s learning, particularly in Maths and English.”
David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland and founder of the RISE Community Fund, said: “When we created RISE, it was with a clear purpose – to ensure that rural communities could fully benefit from the transformative power of connectivity. As the National Broadband Plan progresses towards completion, it’s vital that our schools are equipped not just with access to broadband, but with the technology that allows them to use it effectively. Lisnafunchin National School has done a fantastic job investing in technology to empower their young pupils, and now we’re delighted to accelerate that further with this grant.”
