$60m school software plan faces costly delays
19th June 2008
Author: David Rood State, political reporter
Publisher: Fairfax
Publication: The Age, Page 9 (Sat 24 May 2008)
A NEW $60 million school software system faces delays and cost blowouts after the State Government failed to find a company to deliver the project.
The Ultranet system, designed to allow parents to check their child's progress through an online computer system, was a key Labor promise at the 2006 state election.
But almost two months after a contract for the system was to be awarded, the project will be put out for a revised re-tender after the response to the original tender was not accepted by the Department of Education.
The decision follows the bungled myki transport ticket system, which is running at least two years behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget.
Shadow education spokesman Martin Dixon said the decision to re-tender would mean the Ultranet project could not proceed on time.
"This is effectively going back to scratch and if they are going to have a thorough tendering process it is going to add a lot more time to the project," he said. "And the longer the project goes, the more costs, whether for labour or materials, go up."
Ultranet will link all government schools, allowing students to submit work and communicate with teachers and classmates, as well as being used by teachers to plan and create lessons.
The software system is scheduled to be progressively introduced into schools later this year.
The Education Department and Minister Bronwyn Pike said the project would be delivered within the original budget and planned time frame of a finish in September 2010.
But the department would not say when the revised tender would be released or when a contractor would be announced.
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