PRESENT and future pupils at Irvinestown secondary school can gain immense benefit from a "new and unique opportunity" which will prepare them for their future in a technological society.

St. Mary's Secondary School has been invited to work in a partnership with the National Council for Educational Technology to help improve the use of Information Technology in the classroom.

News of the "Schools Partnership Scheme" and the names of the chosen schools were announced at the recent BETT (British Education and Training Technology) fair in London.

According to a spokesman at St. Mary's, the school will received resource materials and technical support from N.C.E.T for a two year period and in addition pupils and staff will also have the opportunity to "trial the newly emerging technologies and test the corresponding resource materials."

The spokesman explained that the school has had Information Technology as an educational priority for a number of years and many of its former pupils are now employed in the computer industry at home and abroad.

"The school is exceptionally well equipped for IT," he said adding: "It has two computer laboratories, which along with stand alone machines in general classrooms gives an overall ratio of one computer to every five pupils."