What steps has the Welsh Government taken to ensure that all students have access to the technology required for digital learning, and what is the current level of digital divide among students in Wales?
The Welsh Government has undertaken significant steps to ensure that all learners in maintained schools have access to technology and digital services, underpinning the Curriculum for Wales.
Through the Hwb EdTech Programme, over £190 million has been invested in schools to transform their digital landscape, recognising the necessity of robust digital infrastructure to facilitate digital learning. This investment has provided over 265,000 devices for learners and practitioners since 2020 to support equity of access to digital technology.
In addition to this investment, all learners and education practitioners in maintained schools in Wales have access to Hwb, our national digital platform that supports the Curriculum for Wales. Hwb's centralised approach ensures all learners have equitable access to a suite of bilingual digital tools and resources to support learning and teaching. The platform offers access to cloud-based services, such as Microsoft Office 365 which can be downloaded on up to 5 personal devices, enabling seamless access to learning at school and home. Our digital first approach aims to support digital inclusion, so that no learner is left behind.
Schools are best placed to understand the need of their learners. Through working closely with their local authorities, they ensure all learners have access to the devices they need for learning.