New laptops for Boggabri Public School students

Students and staff at Boggabri Public School are excited to receive 90 new laptops and associated four charging stations.

Boggabri Public School was established in 1873 and currently educates 92 students from Kindergarten to Year 6, with students living in Boggabri, Willala and Wean districts.

Until recently, Boggabri Public School has relied on 20 working laptops for its 90 strong students.

Technology is an important element in the current education system, and with only 20 laptops this important resource was stretched thin across the school.

Whitehaven Coal has long-standing relationships with Boggabri Public School, often participating in site tours, demonstrations and presentations to students.

While investigating the possibility of conducting a mining site tour with the students at Boggabri

Public School, it became apparent that Whitehaven could have a greater impact by addressing the lack of technological resources at the school, which equated to roughly one laptop for every five students.

Boggabri principal Benjamin Carter said: “I was in a meeting in Sydney when I got the call from Whitehaven, offering to donate the laptops, I could hardly believe the offer.”

Whitehaven reached out to Idemitsu and agreed to split the donation of more than $60,000, to deliver a laptop for every student at the school, ensuring the students can maximise their education and no-one is left behind.

“We are very grateful to companies like Whitehaven and Idemitsu for providing these laptops.

“Technology is such an important element in the current education system and it can be expensive and tough for small schools like ours to keep up with the constantly evolving systems,” said Mr Carter.

Mr Carter went on to say how important it is for the school to have the support of the local community, other educational facilities, businesses and in turn groups such as the Boggabri

Early Learning Facility and after school and vacation care now have a partnership that makes a seamless transition through the education system.