WELB directorate take action as Orange Order website is blocked

C2k is a directorate of WELB which provides all grant-aided schools with a managed ICT service, including access to the internet, through contracts with private sector providers.

Education Minister John O’Dowd advised that the C2k service operates an internet filtering policy to keep pupils safe when on-line, and that the Websense software used has default settings which automatically sift websites into a number of categories.

He explained that access to the Orange Order’s website had been blocked both Primary and Secondary Schools up until seven years ago when action was taken to address the issue.

He commented: “On the basis of these categories, C2k filtering policy permits or denies access. The filtering software initially put the Orange Order’s website into a category to which access was refused, but some seven years ago C2k found that the site had been blocked and, after discussions with the Order, they asked the provider of this aspect of the service to allow access.”

Now it has emerged that a similar problem with access to the Orange Order website at Primary Schools was discovered earlier this month.

“C2k were alerted on 8 September 2011 that only post-primary schools were able to access the site. They have now taken the necessary steps with the provider of this aspect of the service to rectify the situation with regard to primary schools,” he stated.

“It is common for websites which schools wish to use to be located in categories which are blocked. Equally, schools often come across sites which they think should be blocked. C2k have arrangements in place for schools to request blocking or unblocking, on an individual or collective basis, through the C2k Helpdesk,” he concluded.