PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Education: Coronavirus (28 April 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that all (a) schools, (b) colleges and (c) universities are providing e-learning to students during the covid-19 outbreak.

Asked by:
Christian Wakeford (Labour)

On 19 April 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced that laptops and tablets will be provided for the most disadvantaged children who would otherwise not have access and are preparing for examinations in Year 10, receive support from a social worker, or are a care leaver. Local authorities, trusts and other organisations overseeing schools have been given guidance on how to order devices for children and young people.

This forms part of a much wider package of support, which aims to help schools get set up on cloud-based education platforms and provide remote education. 4G wireless routers will be provided to help disadvantaged children with a social worker in secondary school, and care leavers and Year 10s to access the internet. New online education resources will also be made available for teachers and children from the Oak Academy and the BBC.

Answered by:
Nick Gibb (Conservative)
11 May 2020