Up to 3,000 primary schools in rural England will gain access to gigabit broadband as part of a new multimillion-pound investment, the government said.
A joint investment of £82 million from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Education (DfE) will ensure rural schools have the cost of connecting to the faster broadband covered by the new program.
The government estimates that the scheme could benefit as many as half a million primary school students over the next three years.
Children’s opportunities at school should not be predetermined by where they grow up
It’s the latest aspect of the government’s Gigabit project, the £5bn program to roll out more reliable broadband to more of the UK, including hard-to-reach areas.
Gigabit broadband means speeds of about 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps), which is significantly faster than the current national average broadband speed of just over 50 Mbps.
“Children’s opportunities at school should not be predetermined by where they grow up,” said Culture Minister Nadine Dorries.
“Today we are announcing millions of pounds to bring blazing fast broadband connections to schools nationwide and improve children’s access to the best education possible.
“Education has been revolutionized by digital technology and we need to ensure that all students can take advantage of the opportunities it presents.”
Schools Secretary Robin Walker said “fast, reliable internet” is critical to helping schools provide the best possible experience for students.
“This investment will open up a whole world of opportunities for schools and teachers in hard-to-reach areas, whether that’s through increased access to online resources for kids or through high-speed, top-quality video streaming,” he said.
“Connecting schools is now more important than ever and this welcome investment comes in addition to the connectivity and Wi-Fi upgrade program we are delivering through our Priority Education Investment Areas.”