The government in Wales is to invest a further £15 million in edtech in 2021–22.
The announcement brings the total invested in edtech in Wales since 2019 to £107m. The Hwb EdTech programme in Wales has seen around £92 million spent in the last two years.
Education minister Kirsty Williams credited the investment preceding the outbreak of COVID-19 as central to the nation’s response to remote learning.
The new fund will primarily support digital enhancements in schools – but a portion of the capital will ensure connectivity for remote learners without internet at home until July.
The Welsh government said its Hwb EdTech programme provided over 128,000 devices since March 2020 – a figure set to rise to more than 180,000 “in the coming weeks”.
More than 10,000 re-purposed devices have reached digitally excluded learners, and nearly 11,000 learners without internet access have gained MiFi devices.
“The improvements we’ve made to digital infrastructure in schools will help our learners prepare for the new curriculum for Wales over the coming years” – Kirsty Williams, education minister
Minister Williams said: “This last year has brought into sharp focus how important technology is to our schools and our learners.
“I’m really pleased that, following significant investment in preceding years, including the development of our world-leading Hwb platform, we’ve been in a strong position to continue learning remotely this year.
“The improvements we’ve made to digital infrastructure in schools will help our learners prepare for the new curriculum for Wales over the coming years.”
Read more here: Pearson launches major consultation into future of UK exams and assessment