TEACHERS at further education (FE) colleges throughout the county are set to benefit from £28,000 of computer subsidies, it was announced earlier this month.

The subsidies are part of a new £3 million nationwide initiative called Computers for FE Teachers (CFET).

Following on from the Computers for Teachers scheme, it aims to enable personal computer ownership in order to raise standards in the further education sector.

Under the pilot scheme, teachers will be able to apply for a subsidy of 50 per cent of the cost of a computer, up to a maximum of £500.

Mr Roy Bain, executive director of the Hertfordshire Learning and Skills Council, said: "This is a great scheme that will enable many FE teachers to own personal computer equipment for the first time.

"Research suggests personal access to a computer raises competence and confidence in teachers' use of information technology.

"I believe this initiative will give FE teachers greater access to information and teaching materials available on the internet, help them develop their information technology skills, and ultimately benefit the teaching and learning process."

The scheme will run until Friday, December 21.

It is open to all full and part-time teachers in FE and sixth form colleges, where the Learning and Skills Council is the primary source of funding.

The application process for the subsidies began this month.

Successful applicants choose a computer from a list of accredited suppliers and funds will be paid out to teachers within 28 days after the production of a paid invoice.