Becta portal is good news for VARs

Online evaulation tool helps schools review their IT systems which is ideal opportunity for VARs to drum up business, government education body claims.

Resellers look set to benefit from a new evaluation tool for schools launched this week by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta).

Called Mirror Mirror, the online portal is part of Becta's self-review framework and will enable schools to evaluate which areas of their IT systems are performing well and those that are not.

"It will enable schools to reflect on their IT performance, helping them check that they're making the most of their IT resources, both in the classroom and when running their school," said Becta in a statement.

The eight elements of the self-review framework not only benchmark a school’s performance, but help them develop an action plan to get the right IT system in place.

Simon Trollope, head of client communications at Becta, told CRN: "It will benefit resellers because when they go and talk to schools, schools will be able to tell them what level they are at in terms of IT development which will make it easier for the reseller to sell them the right technology."

Becta hopes to get 3,500 schools signed up to the portal by the end of March 2007.

Steve Smith, business development director for education at VAR Ramesys, said; "Ramesys fully supports the aims and objectives of Becta's self review framework. Technology procured by schools must be fit for purpose, now and in the future. The self review framework will help schools to achieve this."

Lee Bevan, managing director of VAR Leapfrog Computers, said: "This could really benefit primary schools. Secondary schools tend to have their own IT teams so they know exactly what they want when it comes to purchasing, but in primary schools the IT co-ordinator is usually one of the teachers so they don’t always get it right when it comes to making purchasing decisions."