Companies are being encouraged to give their old computer equipment to help young learners struggling to do their schoolwork at home.
The appeal for used desktop and laptop computers is being made by the White Horse Federation, which supports 31 schools in Swindon, Gloucester and Reading with 12,500 students.
Federation chief executive Dr Nick Capstick, said:
“In one of my schools, I have five children in five different year groups trying to access their homework, their online learning and talk to their friends-all on one mobile phone.
“They are all trying to compete for that phone at the same time and that is unacceptable.”
Business West are backing the campaign to give free IT devices to the schools.
Ian Larrard, Business West director for Swindon and Wiltshire said:
“This is a great IT initiative from Nick Capstick and the White Horse Federation.
“The so-called digital divide is even more evident today and this re-purposing of laptops and digital devices from companies will help large numbers of children, students and their families in these difficult times.
“I think it is a great example how business and education can work together for the common good.”
Mark Weller, IT director for the Federation said that companies can donate IT equipment by contacting him: donations@whfit.org.uk
He said: “We are looking for any kind of laptops or PCs capable of running Windows 10 and are less than five years old.
“A young learner at home might well need as much as three or four hours a day on a device.
“All education is now online, and they must have easy access to communicate with teachers and to their lessons.
“Our young people need all the help possible to get onto this virtual world of learning.”
The White Horse Federation has 26 primary, 4 secondary and 3 special schools.
“We estimate that perhaps as many as 10% of our young people or around 2,000 pupils could need some sort of device to enable home learning”, added Mr Weller.
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