No IT access for over 500 pupils
ALMOST A year on from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic there are still more than 500 children in Calderdale who do not have access to an IT device, says a senior councillor.
Coun Adam Wilkinson, who is Cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, made the claim in his motion to full Calderdale Council condemning the Government for “it’s failure to tackle digital exclusion for children and young people in Calderdale”, which was carried by a majority of councillors.
Coun Wilkinson said children had been least affected by COVID-19 itself but were one of the most impacted groups in terms of their everyday lives and their future, their education, health and wellbeing and relationships.
Disadvantaged pupils had been affected the most with one issue being lack of IT and broadband, necessary for home learning.
“At the start of the pandemic you could cut the Government a little bit of slack but now we are a year on. We still have more than 500 pupils in Calderdale without access to an IT device,” he said.
Coun Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) said some Calderdale schools who had applied to the Government for devices had been told they would have to wait for some weeks with 171 devices awaited at one school alone. His motion praised work done by the council in partnership with the Community Foundation for Calderdale and the Valley Learning Partnership to fill some of these gaps.
So far £50,000 had been raised with £10,000 from Calderdale teaching union NEU.
“Effectively we are seeing teachers putting their own hands into their pockets to fund laptops for their own pupils. We shouldn’t have to rely on the generosity of teachers and the general public.
“The Department of Education needs to get its act together,” said Coun Wilkinson.
But Conservative group leader, Coun Steven Leigh (Ryburn), said condemnation of the Government in such very strong terms was wrong.
“The Government has to be commended for what it has done – 1.3 million devices it has provided, setting £400 million aside. That’s a pretty substantial response.”
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