Funds for faster broadband in schools and public sites in Scotland
The pandemic and physical closure of schools has had an impact on the education of pupils and students around the world. The alternative online delivery has been a solution for many schools, in some countries enabling them to continue learning in the safety of the home. However, for many parents and their children or students, the experience brought challenges.
The education data have been collected to compose official data on education but even without the statistics, it is seen that the gap between pupils and students has widened. The socioeconomic background of disadvantaged children leads to an inability to connect to the classroom because of not having a computer or device. Some pupils and students might have the physical device but due to the internet coverage in some areas, they miss the tuition, too.
According to Ofcom’s latest report, superfast broadband is available to 96% of homes with an estimated 60% of premises that can get superfast broadband now take up this service. This figure seems high but considering the coverage from both fixed and fixed-wireless networks, it is estimated that around 190,000 homes and businesses (0.6%) are still without access to a decent broadband connection. This has had an impact on homeschooling and learning since the beginning of the pandemic.
The UK government has expanded plans to deliver next-generation broadband to hundreds of public buildings, including schools, in areas where it is really needed like in rural Scotland.
£1 million will be spent to bring full fibre to more schools, hospitals and surgeries across the Highlands, resulting in about 199 public buildings gaining faster internet speeds thanks to a £7.3 million total investment through the Local Full Fibre Networks scheme. The institutions and site will be receiving the connections from now on with completion by March 2022.
The work to connect 21 schools, council buildings, and public sites to fibre broadband has now been completed in the northern isles of Yell and Unst in Shetland.
UK Government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart said: “The UK Government is investing millions of pounds to ensure people in remote areas of Scotland benefit from fast, reliable internet connections. Upgrading broadband in NHS surgeries, hospitals, schools and councils across rural Scotland will transform public services at the very heart of our communities, helping us to build back better from coronavirus.”
