Realism likely to be the flavour of BETT 2011

 

January is always the month when education and technologydominate at the BETT show in London providing an indication of where that particular market is going.

 

For the past few years it has been dominated withinteractive white boards, projectors and hopes that children would be given accessto some of the emerging tablet and mobile technologies.

 

Last year saw the first tangible signs that there was realfear in the market that with a change of government there would also be achange of commitment to ensuring UK schools had the best in terms oftechnology.

 

Since BETT last year plenty has happened to providesubstance to those fearing the wors t. BECTA, the body responsible for advising schools on technology and for runningand maintaining approved supplier lists, was scraped and is closing this year.

 

Then the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme sawthe axe swung on a large number of its projects. That hit not just the schoolsand councils, which were the target of public spending cuts, but also thecontractors and educational specialists in the channel.

 

Although aimed at the higher education space the decision tohike tuition fees has seen demonstrations on the streets and claims that thecurrent government is pricing some children out of a university education.

 

So the atmosphere for BETT is going to be an interesting onethis year. Realism is no doubt going to be the flavour of the halls at Olympia as it is in life,not just the education marke t.

 

The problem for those that want to cut and turn the screwson education is that the future prosperity of the country depends on thegenerations coming through the school and university system. If we short changethem then ultimately we short change ourselves.

 

Technology is fundamental to the learning process now andcannot be stopped. Or rather it can but in the face of competition from theemerging graduate powerhouses of India and China do we really want to take the foot off the gas?

This was first published in January 2011

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