Overview of the School Network Upgrade Project
A full list of the next 90 schools to receive a SNUP upgrade is available to download at the bottom of this page.
The School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP) subsidises and manages upgrades of schools’ internal cabling infrastructure. SNUP provides schools with high quality data infrastructure upgrades to an approved Ministry standard, which allow for future network expansion and for the use of ultra-fast broadband in teaching and learning programmes.
What an upgrade includes
- A complete audit of a school’s existing network infrastructure and designs for upgrading to Ministry standards. (The Ministry fully-funds this part of the work.)
- A cat6 network cabling solution and switching. Servers will be included where appropriate. (The Ministry subsidises this part of the work.)
- The Ministry will manage the upgrade on behalf of all schools through a prime contractor.
How schools are selected for SNUP
To be considered for SNUP:
- A school or school proprietor must register an interest to participate in the project.
- Preference will be given to schools that meet one or more of the following criteria (revised June 2011):
- Area Schools
- Active e-asTTle schools
- High Maori, Pasifika or Special Needs student numbers
- Māori initiatives
- School Management Systems (SMS)
- Support provided to achieve National Standards
- Trades or Service academy
- e-Learning PLD
- VLN e-learning clusters
- Satellite connection
- Currently connected to fibre
- A fibre connection is planned to be delivered in near future through urban or rural fibre initiatives
- Other educational priority criteria, such as online moderation or NZCER marking requirements, recommendations from SAF practitioners, etc
Schools meeting more criteria may be selected for an upgrade earlier than schools meeting fewer criteria. However, the criteria are regularly reviewed against government priorities and are therefore subject to change.
Timeframes for selection
The Ministry does not hold a list of schools ranked in order of priority for upgrade.
There are many factors affecting when individual schools will be selected for upgrade under SNUP. These include the amount of funding available in relation to the size of schools, the criteria as shown above and the availability of cablers in any given area.
It is therefore not possible to provide individual schools with information about the timeframe in which they are likely to be selected for upgrade.
SNUP progress to date
To view which schools that have been upgraded so far under SNUP and school that are underway, see the SNUP progress spreadsheet available from the Related downloads section below.
Frequently asked questions
What is the School Network Upgrade Project?
The Ministry of Education’s School Network Upgrade Project (SNUP) subsidises and manages internal ICT networks (including cabling and switches) in state and state-integrated schools, to optimise use of ultra-fast broadband.
How many schools have been upgraded so far?
SNUP has so far upgraded the internal electrical and data cabling network infrastructure in more than 700 state and state integrated schools, with more underway. This represents well over a third of the 1,800 schools that have registered interest in a SNUP upgrade.
How many schools are included in the latest selection round and when will the next group be announced?
150 schools around New Zealand will be upgraded in this latest stage of SNUP with the next group expected to be announced in early 2012.
Does the Ministry have a list of schools ranked in order of priority for selection for SNUP?
The Ministry does not hold a list of schools ranked in order of priority for upgrade. Given the number of schools to be upgraded it is not possible to schedule all upgrades upfront and let schools know exactly when they will be selected. There are many factors that affect the order in which schools are prioritised for upgrade – including the published criteria, the availability of funding, and the availability of cablers in each region.
An updated list of schools where upgrades are to commence, already underway or completed is available at the bottom of the page.
Has the criteria changed for this latest selection round and if so why?
Yes, the criteria have changed for the latest selection round. Criteria are regularly reviewed against Government priorities. The revised criteria support the Ministry of Education’s current education priorities (as outlined in the 2011 – 2012 Statement of Intent) which target support for schools with high numbers of Māori, Pasifika and special needs students. The new criteria also reflect the need to more closely align the upgrade process with the Government’s fibre roll out which will provide 97.7% of schools with ultra-fast broadband capability by 2015.
Why is the latest group of schools selected for upgrade smaller than usual?
Selecting and announcing smaller groups of schools more frequently allows greater flexibility for the project to align closely with the wider fibre roll out, as scheduling information becomes available.
Why does SNUP not include wireless?
The funding provided by the government is for capital investment in wired infrastructure. The vast majority of the 185,000 computers in NZ schools have network cards (not wireless cards) so installing wireless would be of little benefit to the majority of schools who currently have desktop PCs.
Wireless capability is an add-on to a properly designed and installed structured cabling system.
The Ministry is aware that wireless devices are becoming progressively cheaper, and are ensuring the investment being made now through SNUP will provide a basis for any additional wireless deployment in the future.
In other words, a SNUP upgrade will make your school wireless-ready.
Does SNUP include a mains power upgrade?
No. Schools are still responsible for the provision of mains power. SNUP will provide additional low-voltage power (ie, 3 pin plugs) around the school
How much should I plan for as my schools contribution to the upgrade?
State schools should factor in approximately $150 per student to cover their 20% contribution to the cost. For state-integrated schools, the proprietor should set aside up to $200 per student to fund their 32% contribution. Both figures are based on an average cost of schools upgraded to date. The majority of this could come from 5-year Agreement funding (5YA), with the remainder factored into other budgets.
We have recently upgraded our network – can we get some funds back for this?
The Ministry does not provide retrospective funding for any property work.
Can we apply for SNUP even if we do not fit any of the criteria?
Yes. The criteria for SNUP are reviewed from time to time by the Minister to ensure it is still relevant to Government priorities.
For example, when fibre begins to be rolled out in certain regions, schools in those regions may be prioritised for SNUP to ensure as many as possible can enjoy the full benefit of ultra-fast broadband over fibre.
To register an interest
An example of the subject line might be: Name of School (MoE number) ROI for SNUP3.
On receipt of your email your interest to participate in SNUP will be registered. No replies will be sent to these emails but read receipts will be sent if you choose this option.