The latest figures available show that more than 72,000 pupils in Scotland received the free laptop or tablet computers that first minister Nicola Sturgeon promised “all children” in May.
The SNP manifesto for May’s Holyrood election made a promise that, in the course of the next five-year Parliament, it would be “providing every pupil with their own laptop or device and a free internet connection”.
On 26 May, after the SNP once again emerged as the largest party, albeit just short of an overall majority, Ms Sturgeon - in a speech outlining her party’s priorities for the next 100 days - said that “we will begin work to ensure that all children have access to a laptop or tablet”.
Now, in response to a parliamentary question from Labour MSP Monica Lennon, the government has revealed how much progress has been made.
Ms Lennon tweeted: “With Omicron on the rise, keeping young learners connected has never been more important.”
Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville’s written response rebutted the suggestion by Ms Lennon that the government had promised to give all - approximately 700,000 pupils in state schools - free devices within 100 days of May’s election.
Ms Somerville, in an answer shared on Twitter by Ms Lennon, wrote: “The Scottish government is committed to ensuring that all school-aged children and young people in Scotland have access to a digital device by the end of this Parliament. Given the scale and complexity of this programme of work, the 100-days commitment was to commence planning, not to deliver the devices.
“In 2020-21, we provided £25 million of funding to councils across Scotland to tackle digital exclusion, resulting in over 72,000 pupils receiving a device to support their learning.”
The education secretary’s response also provided figures on how many devices had been supplied in each of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, which across the whole country comes to a total of 72,687 devices.
💻 Vital that children and young people receive the free laptops they were promised, as soon as possible.@scotgov has confirmed to me today that over 70,000 devices have been distributed. With #Omicron on the rise keeping young learners connected has never been more important. pic.twitter.com/7lSXCGdyV6
- Monica Lennon MSP (@MonicaLennon7) December 16, 2021
At the SNP conference in March, deputy first minister John Swinney - who was also education secretary at the time - said: “If we are re-elected in May, the SNP will roll out a new programme to deliver into the hands of every school child in Scotland a laptop, Chromebook or tablet to use in school and at home.
“It will come with a free internet connection and full technical support. It will be updated when necessary, replaced when needed and upgraded as technology improves.”
Mr Swinney added: “As a child moves through their school life, it will change with them, going from the simpler devices needed at P1 to the more advanced in the senior phase of secondary.
“And, we will build in partnership with the teaching profession, the support they need to help our children as they learn on the new devices.
“Just as in my day, the teacher handed out a jotter to all, so in this internet age, we will hand each child the device they need to learn and prosper.”
