COVID-19 – Free Laptops and 4G Broadband for Vulnerable Kids

The Government has announced that “disadvantaged children” (e.g. those who receive support from a social worker and care leavers) across England are to be given a free tablet or laptop computer and 4G based mobile broadband service, which is intended to help with their education during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.

The plan is part of a new push to make remote education accessible for pupils stuck at home due to the current lockdown. Apparently the Government will order computers for children in the most vital stages of their education. Furthermore they will also provide 4G routers, but only to make sure “disadvantaged secondary school pupils and care leavers” can access the internet if they don’t already have it.

On top of that the Government said that the country’s major “telecommunications providers” – we assume this applies to both fixed broadband ISPs and mobile network operators (it isn’t clear) – “will make it easier for families to access selected educational resources by temporarily exempting these sites from data charges.” Sadly they don’t provide any examples, which makes it difficult to analyse such a commitment.

As usual there are some other key details missing, such as whether or not the 4G router will include the cost of an actual service and, if so, for how long and how much data allowance will they be provided with? This is a key question since, for example, a lot of modern education requires a degree of video streaming, which if it comes from YouTube or similar sites won’t necessarily be covered by the aforementioned exemptions.

Gavin Williamson MP, UK Education Secretary, said:

“I want to thank all the teachers and staff who are working so hard to ensure vulnerable children and those of critical workers are supported at this time.

Schools will remain closed until the scientific advice changes, which is why we need to support the incredible work teachers are already doing to ensure children continue to receive the education they deserve and need.

By providing young people with these laptops and tablets and enabling schools to access high quality support, we will enable all children to continue learning now and in the years to come. We hope this support will take some of the pressure off both parents and schools by providing more materials for them to use.”

Just to be clear, if a child already has a computer and broadband access then they will likely not be eligible. Schools and colleges will also be able to keep their laptops and tablets once they have reopened. Separately the Government has launched a new guide to help parents with the education needs of their children during the current lockdown. Otherwise the full announcement is here.