Project Overview
We launched the Tech4Schools programme with our partners in 2022 with the goal of increasing access to devices and skills for schools in disadvantaged communities and ultimately improving the education of children in those areas.
The Tech4Schools scheme is “designed to tackle the issue of digital poverty and digital access for students in the UK
Project Partners
Amazon UK provided funding and donation of devices to support the aims of the Digital Poverty Alliance, working in
collaboration with Teach First and In Kind Direct.
Project Aims
As part of the Tech4Schools scheme, 23 schools in disadvantaged communities were identified to receive funding for devices and peripherals for students to use both in school and at home. The aim of this project is to support schools with a need for digital infrastructure by:
- Providing devices to their pupils.
- Adding value to the schools in terms of IT skills, ways of learning and wraparound support.
Context
Millions of school children across the UK are being held back due to digital inequality, as the turbulent economy is worsening the digital divide in deprived areas, according to the Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA).
Research from Deloitte and the DPA highlighted that 20 per cent of children across the UK are impacted by digital poverty, through a lack of access to an electronic device, broadband connectivity or digital skills. To tackle the issue, the DPA, in collaboration with Amazon, In Kind Direct and Teach First launched the Tech4Schools scheme in 2022 to provide underprivileged schools with devices and digital skills training.
Evaluation
The project has been evaluated by Nottingham Trent University.
Nottingham Trent University has surveyed students, teachers and parents following the Tech4Schools and what impact it has had. The work considered:
- What were the difficulties before for the scheme?
- What are the benefits and limitations of the scheme?
“Digital exclusion remains a critical issue across the UK, made worse by the cost-of-living crisis squeezing household budgets and forcing families to make a choice between dinner or devices. This digital inequality is holding millions of school children back as they lack access to a device to complete online lessons or homework, causing their education to suffer.”