The £300 million government scheme intended to provide broadband for all school children at home could end up benefitting parents as well.

That was the view put forward by schools minister Jim Knight at the educational technology event BETT at Olympia in London yesterday (Thursday, January 16th).

He stressed that although youngsters will benefit from the learning resource offered by high-speed internet in the home, parents could also be educated.

IT Pro quoted him as saying: "Technology can be a Trojan horse for those parents, bringing knowledge, learning, and useful services direct into people' homes.

"So when we talk about education, we can't just be thinking about school."

Oldham and Suffolk will be the first areas to benefit from the initiative when pilots get underway next month.

Some 20,000 disadvantaged families are expected to be handed broadband grants of up to £700.