Newsletter

Summer 2010

Help for schools to enable them to run universal access programmes in times of budget constraint

Budget constraints in response to the state of the economy will make it harder than ever before for schools to pay upfront for computers for e-learning programmes. As budgets get tighter schools will need to consider leasing as a way of spreading the costs of the programme.

The e-Learning Foundation has partnered with Investec to offer schools a package that combines the Donation Management Service (that reduces the administration and reporting workload of collecting regular parental donations) with a lease specifically developed to be acceptable to the school’s funding regulations, and already approved by a number of Local Authorities.

“This is a practical solution to help schools who see their budgets dwindling and cannot see a way forward to provide the pupils with the devices they need for home and school use. When the cupboard is bare then a well constructed lease is often the only alternative available to schools. When linked to a donation scheme for parents the enable package can effectively neutralise the financial exposure of the school” said Valerie Thompson, Chief Executive of the e-Learning Foundation. “We are delighted to be working with a respected finance company that has considerable experience in the education sector and we are looking forward to helping many schools achieve what they previously considered impossible.”  

‘enable’ means that schools can now benefit from a widely approved lease from Investec and the support of the e-Learning Foundation in collecting parental donations. Together we can ensure schools have everything they need to run a truly universal access scheme.