As it is confirmed by the First Minister that schools will be closed until at least the middle of February, efforts to support remote learning for Dundee pupils are being bolstered by the distribution of 2,000 new laptops and connection packages.
A senior councillor is pledging that the authority will keep doing all it can to ensure that children and young people have access to technology, so that they can continue their education while schools remain shut for the majority of pupils.
The city council submitted a bid to the Scottish Government which has resulted in an investment of more than £800,000 of funding for 2,000 G5 ProBooks and connection packages.
Tests had been carried out by council IT officers and schools to identify a device that would provide the best value and robustness for 1-1 use.
The testing involved the use of mobile data technology across all the main software platforms that young people would require for home use.
Now, the majority of devices have been distributed to homes across the city following delivery from suppliers. The ProBooks are an extra resource on top of technology that schools have already given out to identified pupils.
Children and families service convener Councillor Stewart Hunter said: “As remote learning continues, we are doing all we can to help ensure that young people are not disadvantaged by the lack of devices or connections.
“The distribution of the ProBooks gives us an additional resource on top of school technology which already been given out to households where it can have the most impact.
“Access to technology is important, as is the ability to connect to the internet. Schools and the children and families service are continuing to monitor the situation and will intervene where help is needed.”
Councillor Hunter added: “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our teaching staff for the hard work and commitment to deliver quality remote learning in such innovative and imaginative ways.
“This is not an easy time and I am impressed by the way that challenges have been taken on and opportunities have been created for our young people.”
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
