British Government to Give Free Laptops and Broadband Access to the Poor

Not sure if this means you could be hungry, homeless but sat on the street with a laptop and broadband access but Gordon Brown today promised free laptops and broadband access for 270,000 low income families.

According to the Guardian, Brown is pledging £300m in funding  to get all families linked up to their children’s schools via the internet and access progress reports on attainment, behaviour and other needs.

Speaking to an international education forum in Westminster, Brown said: “We want every family to become a broadband family, and we want every home linked to a school. For those finding it difficult to afford this, today I can announce the nationwide rollout of our home access programme to get laptops and broadband at home for 270,000 families. It will mean all families can come together, learn together and reap rewards together.”

Mr Brown first unveiled the £300m ‘broadband for all’ scheme to provide broadband for disadvantaged families back in September 2008. In 2009, two pilot schemes in Oldham and Suffolk offered disadvantaged families grants to buy PCs and web access.

According to Becta, the body charged with promoting the best use of technology in schools, the pilots were a success, with over 12,000 grants awarded to eligible families.

Becta said the programme will benefit over 270,000 households by March 2011 and will initially target learners in years 3 to 9.