Fibre optic will give rural students an equal chance

Rural Women NZ (RWNZ) encourages a national solution on a single platform to improve Broadband services to the whole of NZ. For too long rural has been the poor relation when it has come to telecommunication planning, in particular broadband.

Mrs Jacky Stafford education spokesperson for RWNZ: “We welcome the proposal by Telecom to put fibre into all schools.

“It offers a solution, particularly for rural schools, that will see rural students benefit from the government’s investment in fibre infrastructure just as much as urban students. Rural students don’t have the same opportunities to just pop down the road to the library or museum to research a project.”

Fibre at every school will mean the community around the school also benefits. It will become easier to then find ways to take fibre or wireless connections out to the wider rural community.

RWNZ urges the government to look at the best ways that will give rural students the same learning opportunities.

“Rural students should not be disadvantaged because of where they live,” says Mrs Stafford.

“A national solution on a single platform with an established national provider will work best for rural and for NZ.”