Cisco, Partner in Portugal's 'Internet in the Classroom' Project

The government of Portugal developed the Technological Plan for Education with the focus on integrating new technologies in the educational system. As a partner working to make the Technological Plan for Education a reality, Cisco technologies will be used to provide high-quality LANs as well as wireless network connections to schools in the country.

Portugal’s minister of education, Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues, mentioned in a press release, “The Internet in the Classroom projects are a key component of the Technological Plan for Education launched by the Portuguese government. It will provide our nationwide school system with a world-class communication infrastructure that will modernize the teaching and learning processes, improve students' educational performance, and ensure full inclusion of our future generations in the knowledge society.”

In excess of 1,220 schools will be “upgraded” with 215,000 Ethernet ports and 15,000 wireless access points via a partnership between Cisco and Portugal Telecom, the first partner of the 'Internet in the Classroom' program. The project, which is the most important part of the Technological Plan for Education, was initiated in order to provide high-speed fiber broadband access to schools as well as ensure that classrooms will feature fixed and wireless networks. The Technological Plan for Education aims to teach the students in a certain number of secondary schools ICT skills. The project debuted with just five academies but this number will grow to no less than 200.

Chris Dedicoat, president of Cisco European Markets, said, “Cisco and the government of Portugal share a common belief that the use of ICT is vital to prosperity and economic growth.” He also mentioned, “Education and ICT need to go hand in hand to build a strong framework so that Portugal can gain the maximum benefit from technology. We are very proud to be involved in the transformation of Portugal's school system.”