While the range of information available on the Internet expands daily, educators are taking steps to insure that students will not have access to web sites dealing in X-rated material or which supply potentially dangerous or violent information, according to Department of Education Technical Support Officer Marva Phillips.

Education Department plans to make the Internet available to local students from Primary School on up, have sparked concerns amongst some members of the community who fear youngsters will be exposed to pornography, terrorist information, Internet gambling and wed sites operated by drug user groups.

"Everything that can be done to protect our children from these things, will be done,'' Mrs. Phillips said.

"We have an Alpha System which controls the data going to the schools, and teacher ibrarians -- who have the computers directly under their control -- will also be screening student's Internet activities at the school.

"Of course some children, being curious, will attempt to access restricted information, but they will be unable to do so.'' According to Mrs. Phillips -- who is an avid Internet surfer herself -- the benefits of access for students far out weigh any possible risks.

"You just need to look at what the children are doing with computers already.

The work is fantastic, and the access the student gets is amazing.

"In the area of Social Studies alone, for example, our students have been able to communicate directly with young people around the world, as far away as Australia.

"It's a way making learning alive, vital and interesting,'' Mrs. Phillips said.