The news came as a shock to the ministry, which called the whole mess "unbearable" and "unacceptable." On top of all this, education leaders say they still haven't received an explanation from the state about why the funding was canceled, nor is it clear if any money will be available next year. One member of Parliament, however, put the blame on former Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek.

"This is the result of the previous government — Mr. Paroubek's government," said Walter Bartoš, head of the committee for science, education, culture, youth and sports. "The new government got the budget and there was nothing left for [school computer resources]. It is Paroubek's fault."

Dana Krupičková, principal at the ZŠ Libčická school in Prague 8, however, indicated this isn't the first time education funding has been slashed unexpectedly.

"We are used to the fact that there is no money," she said in an interview earlier this month. "We can never really count on financial resources. [They are] never definite."

Petr Tlustý, principal of the ZŠ Mikulandská school in Prague 1, agreed with Krupičková.

"We can't rely on anything. We take care of it ourselves," Tlustý said, noting that ZŠ Mikulandská gets some of its funding from the SRPŠ, an association of parents and friends of the school.

Krupičková said her school had been planning to obtain four more computers this year. But those plans have been put on hold indefinitely. The school also had to cut its computer-training program for teachers, the principal said.

As for the future of her school's access to the information superhighway, Krupičková said: "We haven't received any information from the competent authorities. Only from the media."

Krupičková isn't the only frustrated school administrator. The Education Ministry reported that it received a slew of angry phone calls from schools across the country after word leaked that Internet funds had been axed.

In the meantime, ministry officials say they are trying to figure out a way to secure money for 2008 or work out a different financial arrangement with the government. Talks have already been set up with the Finance Ministry. The Education Ministry said it intends to ask the government and Cabinet council for money from the state general reserve.

However, Robert Vastiak, a spokesman for the Education Ministry, said he doesn't think there will be any easy solutions. "A lot of changes regarding people in legislation and government are not very good for renewing the SIPVZ fund," Vastiak said.

The Lower House of Parliament said Dec. 15 it was canceling funding for the National Strategy for ICT in Education (SIPVZ), a five-year project aimed at bringing Czech schools up to European Union standards. The project was first introduced in 2005. The Education Ministry was to receive 1 billion Kč annually until 2010.

The project includes four major components: training for teachers and network administrators, new software and resources, IT infrastructure and a coordination center, made up of about 20 information-technology specialists from Czech schools and universities.

But, as of Jan. 1, government funding for most of these programs stopped. Computer resources and Internet access are secure for the time being because of company sponsorships retained by the Education Ministry. Auto Cont Online and Telefónica O2 Czech Republic will keep the Internet connection up and running in public schools free of charge — at least for the time being.

Telefónica O2 Czech Republic "will make a sincere effort to continue providing Internet services to the best of its abilities," said Martin Žabka, a company spokesman.

The Education Ministry quickly informed school leaders in mid-December that a search had begun for other means of funding to make up the difference, perhaps moving funds around from other projects, but the ministry admitted that many schools would not to be covered by this reflexive, slapdash approach. The first schools taken care of, the ministry said, would be those with the most pressing needs.

"Other possibilities of subsequently finding resources to satisfy at least the most urgent needs of the schools in terms of usage of information technologies are being discussed intensely," the ministry wrote in a letter to school directors last month.

Naďa Černá contributed to this report.