20,000 families are to be given government grants for computers and broadband access, in the first wave of a government scheme to ensure that every seven to 18-year-old has computer access at home for their school work.
The £300million scheme, announced at the Labour Party Conference earlier this month, will be trialled among pupils from low-income families in Suffolk and Oldham from February. Grants will cover a computer, software, one year’s broadband internet access and three years’ technical support.
Some 150,000 youngsters in Surrey and Oldham will also be offered special cut-price packages from broadband and computer suppliers and high-profile marketing campaigns will show parents the benefits of using computers and the internet.
The scheme was first put forward in January 2007, and a government taskforce set up to look into it.
Schools Minister Jim Knight said that as well as offering funding for poorer families, the scheme will also sell the extensive educational benefits of computer access to parents of all income groups who were not yet convinced. Currently about a million children do not have broadband access at home. Whilst some parents cannot afford it, others have the means but choose not to buy it for their children, he said.
“There has to be a culture where families see home access is as important as making sure their children have pen, paper and calculator at school,” said Mr Knight.
“The bottom line is that having home access to the internet or a computer is no longer an optional extra for school work – it is fast becoming essential.
“Schools are revolutionising how they educate faster than many families realise. There is no substitute for good classroom teaching but day-to-day school work is increasingly web and computer based - and it is clear that students get better results where technology is used effectively at home to study, research and communicate.”
The grant will be in the form of a single-use card, available to families on incomes of less than £15,500 or on benefits such as Income Support or Job Seekers’ Allowance. Eligible parents will need to apply to their local authority for the grant.
As part of the £30m pilot phase, local authorities will be able to apply for additional funding to target specific vulnerable groups who do not have IT access at home, such as children in care, or those from schools which achieve relatively low exam results.
The programme, which is run by Becta, the government agency in charge of IT for learners, will be extended across the country in November next year.
Posted by Ellie on October 25th 2008 in Broadband, Free Broadband, Next Gen Broadband
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Candace Sanders said on 23 Nov 2008 at 1:30 pm #
Hi there I’am a mother of two children, a 9 year old boy and a 2 year old girl. I’am a single parent and I take care my children by myself with know help. I work and I make about $21,00 a year now” I started this job last yers and still can’t aford to get my son computer that he need for school work and home. If you can help that would be a blessing.
Emma Salisbury said on 28 Nov 2008 at 5:47 pm #
Whilst some parents cannot afford it, others have the means but choose not to buy it for their children, he said.
What about parents who do not qualify for the grant because they earn over £15,500 but choose not to buy internet for their children? Do you expect those children to lose out? where is the fairness in that?
Jules said on 15 Jan 2009 at 9:36 pm #
The whole point of making internet access available at home is so that children will benefit from the wealth of knowledge that can be accessed there. It will also allow children to access projects and their schoolwork at home.
Obviously, it is ultimately the parents who will choose whether to benefit from this scheme or not, and it will only be those parents who choose not to benefit, who will be to blame if their child(ren) lose out.
Computing is here to stay and the world wide web ought to be taught and learnt well. There are many ways for parents to censor what children can view on-line. If children are properly educated in the correct and proper use of such things as the internet, it is less likely they will abuse that system!
Kerry said on 22 Sep 2009 at 7:13 am #
It just seems that those who are willing to work for a living get no help at all. I am a single mum with two children who work 4 days a week and qualify for nothing. If I sat on my bum all day and took all the benefits going I would be better off. It sucks!
Lewis Talor said on 14 Dec 2009 at 9:31 am #
Good Stuff