All public and private schools, comprehending both basic and superior education, may have information digital networks until 2013. This is the main goal of Bill 103/07, presented by senator Aloizio Mercadante (PT-SP), approved on Tuesday (15) in a terminative decision by the Committee on Education (CE). The delivery of Internet services will be ensured by resources from the Universal Fund for Telecommunication Services (Fust).

- The Senate is giving a great contribution to education improvement. We must give this strategic step – Mercadante celebrated after his bill was unanimously approved. The bill settles that at least 75% of resources collected by Fust, for the next six years, will be used to provide schools and libraries with terminals and Internet networks, on their connection and subsidies for accounts of the services involved.

According to an amendment made by senator Cristovam Buarque (PDT-DF) and added to the text, there must be at least one computer with access to the Internet for each ten students, in each turn. Teachers will be also offered training to use the equipments.

In his favorable opinion to the proposal, its rapporteur, senator Eduardo Azeredo (PSDB-MG), observed only 30% of elementary school students attend schools with computers. Besides, in many cases computers are designed for the school staff only.

The rapporteur also mentioned the research made by the Organization for Cooperation and Development (OCDE) that affirmed Brazil had, in 2003, more than 40 students for each computer. The research reveals that in most developed countries, the relation was less than ten students for each computer. In the United States, Australia and South Korea it was three students for each computer.

- This bill will be vital to promote digital inclusion in Brazil – said Azeredo, after he remarked that more than R$ 5 billion collected by the Fust remain “untouched.”