SA Government delivers on high-speed internet promise for the State’s preschoolers

The $80 million first stage of the SWiFT internet program has seen hundreds of kilometres of fibre optic cable laid out across South Australia to reach around 500 education sites, giving them access to some of the fastest internet speeds in the country, SA Education Minister John Gardner announced yesterday.

So far 150 preschools have been connected, with all preschools set to be complete by mid-2021, as the State Government fulfils the promised rollout of high-speed internet to all preschools and children’s centres, as part of an additional $50 million investment that will also include improved internet security across all schools, improved content filtering software and a modern network architecture.

The total investment of $130 million, Mr Gardner said, is aimed at ensuring all South Australian children are brought “into the 21st century, opening up a world of learning resources and opportunities for staff and students across the state”.

“We are working hard on the second stage of this program, completing connections to all our preschools and children’s centres, as well as those few regional sites with complex implementation requirements, to ensure that no-one is left behind,” he added. 

For further information about the SWiFT program, please see here.