The provincial government says it is loaning more than 23,000 computers and devices out to students across B.C., amid the pandemic, which has cancelled in-class learning and forced students to learn from home.
School districts have determined that there are families who don’t have a computer for their children to use and that roughly 30 per cent of families who were contacted said they have “access to technology” at all, according to a press release issued by the province on Saturday.
Other families reported having limited access to wifi or no access to the internet at all and that there were instances where the only computer available in the household was being used for work by a parent, the province added.
“Now, more than ever, we must come together to help children and families who are struggling in our communities. That’s why we’re working closely with all 60 school districts to quickly provide parents and children with the supports they need to connect with each other, teachers and learning opportunities,” Rob Fleming, minister of education, said in the press release.
School districts have since worked with internet service providers to ensure families can have access to low-cost internet or unlimited cellphone data plans, while local internet hotspots have also been created to ensure free wifi is available to families within a neighbourhood.
“Boards of education know that learning solutions need to be tailored to local community needs. These technology loans are one small way boards are working to ensure that the needs of some of our most vulnerable students are met during these uncertain times,” Stephanie Higginson, president, BC School Trustees Association, said in the release.
Additionally, education assistants are delivering printed learning packages or flash drives containing “everything the student needs for continued learning at home” to those living in remote regions with little or no internet or cellphone access.
In certain situations, some schools are allowing students to access their computer labs and some “First Nations have opened their band offices for students” all while ensuring strict health and safety standards are followed, according to the province.
The release also states that B.C. is delivering 75,000 meals to 16,000 families for vulnerable children every week and that the ministry of education has “secured and funded enterprise licences with added security features” for the Zoom video application for all K-12 public, independent and First Nations schools.
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