The suppliers claim that the appointment of online retailer Dell to be the lead contractor and installer has shocked many as Dell doesn't have the experience to handle such a large Pro AV project. In Victoria La Trobe University dumped Dell as their preferred "projector" supplier after ongoing support and product quality problems. (See separate Dell story).
During the past week NSW Education Minister John Della Bosca is believed to have got over 600 letters from schools concerned about the roll out of the project which will see 55,000 NSW classrooms fitted out with new broadband based teaching technology.
ChannelNews has also been told that the NSW Opposition are currently undertaken a major review of the tender process and that they have contacted several disgruntled companies involved in the tender.
Claims have also been made that schools are being "ripped off" by the NSW Education department and that the health of thousands of NSW pupils and teachers are potentially at risk from "tunnel vision" caused by the standard throw Dell projectors which the NSW education department is recommending schools to buy.
The project which is designed to deliver broadband based education to NSW schools via flat panel TVs and projectors coupled with video conference facilities and electronic whiteboards will allow pupils to interact with teachers thousands of kilometres away while also receiving live TV education feeds into classrooms. It will also facilitate "intelligent" whiteboard teaching.
