Parents' cash keeps children interactive

HALF of all primary schools in the Capital have interactive whiteboards in classrooms thanks to parent fundraising.

Parent groups have raised thousands of pounds to ensure their children have the latest in teaching technology.

A total of 45 schools have benefited from fundraising efforts, with all of them having at least one parent-funded whiteboard, while others have been completely paid for through donations.

Only a third of primaries have whiteboards, which cost around 2,000, that have been paid for solely through school funds.

According to the figures, released by the city council to the Evening News under freedom of information laws, Craigour Park and Leith Walk primaries do not have any whiteboards.

Parent councils say they are having to fund more things which the council "should be paying for", otherwise their children will miss out.

South Morningside primary has benefited from a total of 21 whiteboards - one for each class - as a direct result of fundraising efforts by parents, who have spent years getting enough money together.

Jerry Forde, former chair of South Morningside primary's parent council, who has been involved in the fundraising campaign for whiteboards, said: "The majority of schools that have them have been funded by parents.

"We have been fundraising for them over the past five or six years and it's taken us quite a long time to buy all these because they cost about 2,000 a time.

"Before that, South Morningside has had blackboards for the past 100 years.

"We decided to fundraise for whiteboards because they were seen as the way forward in terms of presenting information.

"The whiteboards are more than just a projector and a laptop and are quite a flexible system to use."

Mr Forde added that older schools, such as the Victorian South Morningside primary, miss out on some of the modern facilities which new-build schools get as standard.

He said: "PPP schools have them as part of the overall package.

"Parent council are starting to have to swallow their dislike of paying for things they feel the council should be paying for because someone has to pay for them."

City education leader Cllr Marilyne MacLaren said: "For many years big fundraising efforts by parents have made a fantastic contribution.

"Our schools work closely with parent groups to determine where best to focus funds and many of our primaries have benefited from additional new whiteboards and other facilities as a result.

"It's certainly something to celebrate and long may it continue because it makes a real difference."