emPowering Schools Strategy

The emPowering Schools Strategy was launched in 2003 by the Education Technology Strategy Management Group (ETSMG).  The strategy’s overall goal is “That all young people should be learning with, through and about the use of digital and online technologies”.

The strategy focuses on a coordinated approach across the school system.  It sets out a broad vision and a strategy for action planning for schools and educational organisations up to 2008, within a context of transforming education by 2020.

The strategy also links to the ICT Self-Review Framework designed to enable schools to take a whole-school approach to the use of ICT and benchmark their performance against established best practice.

An initial strategy progress report was produced in 2005.

The ETSMG consisted of representatives from the Department of Education (DE), the Education and Training Inspectorate, school managing authorities, Becta, sectoral bodies and schools.

Review of the emPowering Schools Strategy

A recent review of the empowering Schools strategy (carried out with the involvement of school leaders) highlighted the central importance of ICT as a teaching and learning tool. The review also highlighted the importance of developing pupils’ and teachers’ ICT skills; ensuring that the level of provision available is appropriate to schools’ needs; and ensuring that we continue to get maximum value for money from the investment in ICT.

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