27 October 2008
Around 20,000 children are to receive computers and internet access as part of a government trial to bring the benefits of the web to low income households. The move comes after Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced a £300 million programme to provide free broadband to children from disadvantaged families. From February 2009, a pilot scheme will be launched involving youngsters from Suffolk and Oldham. If successful, it will then be rolled out nationwide later in the year. Grants will be offered to pay for computers, software, one year's broadband access and three years of technical support. To qualify for the grants, families must earn less than £15,500 per year or be on income support. Commenting on the scheme, Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "The bottom line is that having home access to the internet or a computer is no longer an optional extra for school work - it is fast becoming essential." According to a report by the British Educational Suppliers Association, some 60% of primary schools and 46% of secondary schools are well-equipped with broadband access, computing.co.uk reports.