The Ministry of Education has launched a new trial programme for schools, where children will be taught using new information technology.
As part of the programme, children will use specialised $2,500 laptop computers - called tablets - for 80% of their school work.
The programme is being trialed in a classroom at Wellington's Brooklyn Primary School and could potentially lead to a $50 million information technology investment for schools.
Education Minister, Steve Maharey, says the students will be able to use the computers to be in better control of their learning.
"We've got a long way to go yet we've spent about $600 million, it's an investment thar we've just got to keep carry on making until all classrooms have got the equipment they need," says Maharey.
The rest of the Brooklyn primary students have to wait until next year before they get the tablets, while it could take 10 years before they are in every New Zealand school.
