MP asks: Why has Government cut number of school laptops?
A YORKSHIRE MP has written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson asking why it has reduced the number of laptops it is sending schools to cope with the impact of the Covid pandemic.
Rachel Reeves, Labour MP for Leeds West, said the Department for Education had “slashed the allocation of Government- promised laptops for the poorest and most vulnerable children across the country by as much as 80 per cent”.
The computers are intended to help schools provide remote lessons to pupils unable to attend the classroom.
The Government says is has had to “align orders with the number of students schools typically have self isolating”.
But Ms Reeves said: “The Government must clarify how it is allocating digital devices to schools, how schools are able to access these provisions and what the
timescales are for delivery. Only this Government could introduce a legal duty on schools to provide online learning for pupils isolating at home and then cut their allocation of laptops almost immediately afterwards.
“Ministers need to get a grip to make sure schools and pupils have the laptops they need and internet access to make sure that no child is left behind.”
The Department for Education said that if a school was fully closing for a sustained period, their Regional Schools Commissioner would work with them to ensure they received enough devices to meet the needs of disadvantaged children in years three to 11.
A spokesperson said: “The scale and speed at which the department has delivered laptops and tablets to children who need them over the past six months is unprecedented, with deliveries now set to total over half a million by Christmas.
“We have updated our allocation to more accurately align orders with the number of students schools typically have self isolating, ensuring as many children as possible benefit from receiving a device this term.
“We have already purchased an additional 96,000 devices and continue to work closely with our suppliers to ensure delivery despite the increased global demand.”