School leaders give Mail Force top marks for new campaign

HeAd teachers, unions and charities are all backing the game-changing Mail Force campaign.

The mission to fight the ‘digital divide’ hampering children’s education will not only help tackle the current crisis but also benefit youngsters’ lives in the future, they say.

Children’s Commissioner for england Anne Longfield said: ‘I welcome the Mail’s campaign to help some of those children who don’t have the technology they need to do their school work at home.’

Mrs Longfield, whose job is to ‘speak up’ for young people across the country, added: ‘Often these are children living in the most disadvantaged areas of the country, who were already behind children of the same age living elsewhere even before the pandemic.

‘Helping them get online and learn more effectively is a vitally important part of making sure they don’t fall further behind during lockdown.’

sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of educational charity The sutton Trust, which has spearheaded research into digital poverty, described the campaign as ‘hugely important’. ‘The yawning digital divide between rich and poor pupils has disastrous consequences for social mobility’, sir Peter said.

‘ This campaign is hugely important – it’s crucial that laptops are distributed to every child who needs one, as soon as possible. no pupil should be disadvantaged because they didn’t have the devices they need.’

The two unions representing the country’s heads, as well the national education union which speaks for nearly half a million teachers, have also enthusiastically backed the initiative. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of school and College Leaders, said: ‘The pandemic has highlighted the harsh reality that there is a very severe digital divide between rich and poor.

‘Many children have not been able to access great online resources, and this has been a real problem in supporting them in periods of lockdown and when they have to self-isolate. The more devices we can get out the better.’

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Courtney, joint general secretaries of the national education union, said: ‘We welcome the Mail’s campaign to narrow the digital divide. In this challenging time access to education must be equal for all.’

Paul Whiteman, leader of the national Association of Head Teachers, is also supporting the drive. He said: ‘It is vital to get internet- enabled devices into the hands of every child who needs one.’

And the former chief inspector of schools in england, sir Michael Wilshaw, said: ‘In terms of social cohesion, and social justice, we need to get behind this campaign. everyone who reads the daily Mail needs to get behind this and donate £15.’