Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
The Department recognised that a lack of IT equipment was likely to hamper the ability...
Conclusion
The Department recognised that a lack of IT equipment was likely to hamper the ability of vulnerable and disadvantaged children to learn remotely and access online social care services. It initially considered providing 602,000 laptops or tablets and 100,000 4G routers for vulnerable children and those in all priority groups who did not have access. However, it decided to cut back these plans due to the difficulty of supplying devices on this scale. By the end of the summer term, it had delivered almost 215,000 laptops or tablets and 50,000 routers for children with a social worker and care leavers, and for disadvantaged children in year 10.36 The Department confirmed that, during the early phase of the pandemic, it had focused on supporting children at greatest risk and those who were facing exams in the following year.37
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 4.2 The government has invested over £400 million in devices, internet access and training to support access to remote education and online social care services for disadvantaged children and young people. This injection of 1.3 million laptops and tablets to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education colleges supplemented the 2.9 million devices that were already in the system. 4.3 Devices are owned by the institutions to which they were allocated. They are responsible for maintaining the devices and ensuring they are put to good use, and they may have valid reasons for restricting their devices to onsite use while face-to-face education is not disrupted. 4.4 The department will build on the foundations of this investment in technology by developing an evidence-based strategic approach to technology use in the education sector, and will explore options that create a more resilient, digitally enabled system. This approach will consider devices and the infrastructure and capability required to make the best use of these devices. 4.5 The department will evaluate the impact of the Get Help with Technology intervention and take this into account when developing its future policies on digital inclusion and use of technology in education and children’s social care. 4.6 The department may need to prioritize its interventions and will take an evidence based and user-centred approach in collaboration with the sector and with industry. The Committee’s recommendation will be taken into account as the department develops its approach.