Tory anger over home learning

The Scottish Government is failing vulnerable children by not checking they have received digital devices during lockdown, the Conservatives have said.

The party’s education spokesman Jamie Greene said he was told in a written response from education secretary John Swinney that ministers do not have detailed information on the number of devices handed out to help home learning.

A total of £25 million has been invested to support pupils facing “digital exclusion” while schools are closed, with councils distributing devices to those lacking internet access.

Mr Greene said: “Children all over Scotland are suffering as a result of lockdown, missing out on important education, socialising and other opportunities.

“But the SNP always said it would protect the most vulnerable of those to ensure they wouldn’t be left even further behind.

“This admission that it hasn’t even bothered to check if the poorest pupils have access to digital learning reveals a real negligence at the heart of this Government.

“By the time schools go back, some of these young people will not have had any education for nearly six months through absolutely no fault of their own.

“They simply haven’t been given that helping hand they need by this SNP Government. Once again, the SNP Government either doesn’t know or doesn’t care.”

In his written response to Mr Greene, Mr Swinney said: “The Scottish Government does not hold detailed information on the number of devices issued to households to support home learning, blended learning or virtual classes across all local authorities. We do know that a number of authorities have pre-existing device roll-out programmes and a number of others have issued devices in response to the pandemic.”