Perth and Kinross' most disadvantaged families set to be given devices and internet access

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Work is under way to deliver digital devices and internet access to the most disadvantaged Perth and Kinross families and across Scotland.

The Scottish Government provided the update to the Local Democracy Reporting Service in response to concerns local pupils would not each receive a digital device as promised in the SNP 2021 election manifesto.

The matter was raised at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council's Learning and Families Committee on Wednesday, October 23; the Scottish Government has this week advised it will invest £10 million next year to deliver devices to disadvantaged households in 2025/26.

Back in 2021 when the now first minister John Swinney was Education secretary the Perthshire North MSP pledged: "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.

"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."

At a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council's Learning and Families Committee on Wednesday, October 23 Conservative group leader John Duff asked "where we are in relation to the distribution of laptops for pupils in Perth and Kinross".

A number of local authorities - including Highland Council and Stirling Council -have rolled out their own projects delivering devices to thousands of pupils.

The council's strategic lead for Education and Learning Sheena Devlin said: "There's not a position across Perth and Kinross of one-to-one devices. That's not a policy that's been adopted; it has been in other local authorities."

Ms Devlin added: "Simply the distribution of devices in and of themselves does not necessarily improve attainment and achievement. We have been working on a preparedness piece about how we build the capacity and skills and workforce to be as digitally enabled and knowledgeable and skilful as possible and to be discerning in the appropriate use of different technologies and different digital devices for different reasons for different cohorts at different times."

She said there was also "way more than a place for that learning that is not in front of a screen".

The Education chief told the committee: "What we also know are some interesting and perhaps worrying bits of data about the impact of screen time on the eyesight of young people across the UK where there's been a significant deterioration in terms of eyesight and a significant increase in the number of young people requiring glasses. The use of anything with a screen needs careful and thoughtful consideration."

Following the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service approached the Scottish Government to confirm what the latest position was on delivering the commitment.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government is working to help hard-pressed families across Scotland to get online. To support this, we will invest £10 million in the next financial year to provide devices, internet access and the skills to use them for the most disadvantaged households.

"Planning around logistics and delivery is continuing and the programme will be delivered, in partnership with Connecting Scotland, at the outset of 2025-26."

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