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Education company RM has announced the launch of an innovative new PC trade-in scheme called ScrapIT, to raise money for ICT projects in Africa, as well as providing UK schools with the most up to date education technology. The scheme will help school pupils, by providing them with modern ICT equipment to assist with their education. ScrapIT allows customers to trade in old PCs for a large discount when purchasing the new RM One
It is estimated that 'over a quarter of a million computers are considered ineffective for teaching the curriculum due to either age or specification' (BESA 2009). By using ScrapIT not only can schools benefit from the latest ICT for education, but significant funding can be raised for ICT projects in Africa.
For every PC traded-in, RM will be donating £5 to ICT projects in Africa and will be working with third party organisations such as Digital Links, which aims to bring the best technology available to disadvantaged communities at an affordable rate; and IT Schools Africa, a UK-based charity which provides recycled computers to African schools.
Terry Sweeney, Chief Executive at RM, comments: "The ScrapIT trade-in scheme offers a unique chance to help improve the educational opportunities of pupils on a national and international level, through providing children with the ICT equipment they so greatly need to advance their ability to develop skills for the 21st Century."
The scheme applies to the trade-in of old RM PCs, old RM Ones or any other branded PCs and offers savings of up to £150. Old PCs are collected using a 'milk-run' approach, enabling multiple customer collections using only one vehicle, thus enabling the most carbon friendly approach to collection. Machines are then tested and graded and sold back into the market.
Additionally, any unsaleable kit is recycled according to the best available recycling and recovering techniques. The recovered computers count towards the UK's WEEE (The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) recycling targets, which aims to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment, by increasing re-use and recycling and reducing the amount of WEEE going to landfill.
Sweeney continued: "This scheme also provides the UK education sector with an invaluable service to help improve the ICT offering in schools. The project has got off to a good start and we're hoping that ICT buyers will increasingly see both the environmental and educational benefit that it has to offer."
Further details of the ScrapIT scheme can be found on the RM website here www.rm.com/scrapIT | For further information, please contact:
| James Steward, Grayling
0207 932 1859
Fiona McLean, RM
01235 854539 / 07768 143749
Notes:
RM is an international education company. It was founded in Oxford in 1973 and to this day still has links with the city as its headquarters are nearby. RM is unique in that no other company has its range of products for schools and colleges. And although RM supplies everything from art room accessories, through to specifically designed school furniture to nationwide intranets and managed services it has always has one core focus - education.
RM works with teachers to create products and services that deliver inspiring and engaging lessons and so produce those life changing, great learning moments. |
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