The government quietly U-turned on a key pandemic promise just before going on a week’s holiday

The government has slashed one of its key programmes aimed at helping disadvantaged children during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. And it did so quietly. On a Friday evening – just as parliament was going into recess for the week and half-term was starting for children across the country.
On 19 April, the government made headlines, claiming:
Disadvantaged children across England will be given free laptops and tablets to enable them to study online while schools are closed.
Laptops were promised laptops for all students in years 3 to 11 who had to self-isolate and needed access to a device.
By 7 June, headteachers were worried that this promise was not going to be fulfilled with the Observer reporting:
most heads say they haven’t received a single device yet for disadvantaged year 10 pupils.
Then, on 23 October, headteachers across the country were told that the allocation of computers for disadvantaged pupils would be cut by around 80%. This comes despite knowledge that the poorest children are much less likely than their richer peers to have a digital device to access home learning.
Read on...
“Emblematic of the government pandemic response”
Independent Sage has urged the government to stop cuts to laptops given to schools to prevent increasing educational inequality.
In a statement, it said:
This episode is emblematic of the Government pandemic response which lays duties and requirements upon sectors (such as education) but without providing the support necessary to implement them. While it is clearly desirable that students unable to attend school should be provided with remote education, this is an empty aspiration without ensuring that all pupils have the necessary resources
Meanwhile, people on Twitter expressed their anger and frustration with the decision:
Absolutely. Govt need to listen to advice and stop making the same mistakes. There is a notable and growing will from the public to stand up to a govt that is failing in its responsibility to our children. The noise will only get louder. Govt must listen to the will of the people
— carole james (@carolejames19) October 25, 2020
Tonight our government let some of my community start a holiday knowing they will be hungry. At 5:50 today they told us the laptops they promised to support the same vulnerable children were being cut from 39 devices to 8. I am furious. @educationgovuk Shame on you. pic.twitter.com/tQHsgXPyHm
— Jack Sloan (@jacksloan) October 23, 2020
The need for laptops
As of 15 October, the Department for Education (DfE) reported that 21% of state-funded schools had at least one child self-isolating at home. All schools are required to have a remote learning plan in place for these students.
Without sufficient provision of laptops, many disadvantaged pupils are unlikely to be able to access learning while self-isolating. This adds to fears that missing school has significantly widened the educational attainment gap between the richest and poorest children.
Every national scheme that the Johnson Government has administered during this pandemic – whether in education, health or social care – has fallen lamentably short of the expectations raised.
— Professor Christopher Painter (@PrfChrisPainter) October 25, 2020
Its again, places like Knowsley, where the most disadvantaged children will suffer throughout #covid19 It is almost as though the @Conservatives government, along with their #FreeSchoolMeals debacle, is going out of its way to make children suffer in as many ways as possible.
— Paul Brownbill (@Paully232000) October 25, 2020
Empty promises
Combined with the vote against free school meals for children, concerns have been raised that the poorest children are being left further and further behind.
This comes after a spokesperson for the DfE told The Canary earlier this month:
Our focus is on levelling up the opportunities available to every young person in this country, and we will do everything possible to make sure no-one is left behind as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The lack of concern shown for the education and wellbeing of poor children has become staggering. U-turns on both decisions are imperative to stop inequality growing even further.
Featured image via Wikimedia Commons/Chris McAndrew and Pxfuel
We need your help to keep speaking the truth
Every story that you have come to us with; each injustice you have asked us to investigate; every campaign we have fought; each of your unheard voices we amplified; we do this for you. We are making a difference on your behalf.
Our fight is your fight. You’ve supported our collective struggle every time you gave us a like; and every time you shared our work across social media. Now we need you to support us with a monthly donation.
We have published nearly 2,000 articles and over 50 films in 2021. And we want to do this and more in 2022 but we don’t have enough money to go on at this pace. So, if you value our work and want us to continue then please join us and be part of The Canary family.
In return, you get:
* Advert free reading experience
* Quarterly group video call with the Editor-in-Chief
* Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
* 20% discount in our shop
Almost all of our spending goes to the people who make The Canary’s content. So your contribution directly supports our writers and enables us to continue to do what we do: speaking truth, powered by you. We have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence our vital opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right-wing mainstream media.
With your help we can continue:
* Holding political and state power to account
* Advocating for the people the system marginalises
* Being a media outlet that upholds the highest standards
* Campaigning on the issues others won’t
* Putting your lives central to everything we do
We are a drop of truth in an ocean of deceit. But we can’t do this without your support. So please, can you help us continue the fight?
-
Show Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to leave a comment.Join the conversationPlease read our comment moderation policy here.
Disadvantaged children are at greater risk of being recruited by Russian disinformation campaigns, so they can’t be trusted with a laptop. /s
What pratised propanganda. They sure know their timing on when to make a promise, and how to drop it. If only they were skilled not to have the highest Covid incident score in Europe.
One can’t say its good propaganda but they seem awfully proud of it, while impervious to any critisim.
I don’t know who really is impressed here.
One would think…………daylight will reach them eventually in the cave.?????