A grant of $300,000 over three years has been awarded to Western Port Secondary College for its My Tech project, to ensure students entering high school have the access to technology they need as they make one of the most important educational transitions of their school life. 

The Ross Trust has continued to expand on its commitment to educational equity on the Mornington Peninsula, in line with a 10-year place-based approach to funding with this latest challenge and change grant. 

During this year, which has required many Victorian students to learn from home, lack of access to a well-functioning, current device of their own has proved to be a limiting factor to participation and engagement. Those who managed to borrow devices from school have returned them following the re-start of face-to-face learning. 

Students who do not have access to the necessary technology face limitations to learning as they miss out on a stimulating ICT rich environment and developing critical 21st Century skills. The consequences could see students falling further behind more advantaged peers. 

In its application for the grant, Western Port Secondary College wrote: “Our ambition for the MyTech Program, is to enhance the proficiency of our students’ digital technology skills and to improve future pathway options. 

“Through participating in this project, students will be offered a wide variety of learning experiences that are interactive, flexible and stimulating. Furthermore, we are committed to increasing our students’ motivation to learn, through engaging platforms that streamline the educational experience.”

Western Port Secondary College is part of the Learning Guarantee Project funded by the Mornington Peninsula Foundation and the Ross Trust. 

Read more about the Learning Guarantee here.