Local Portsmouth charity and Portsmouth City Council pledge £100,000 to create 'Portsmouth Tackling Digital Disadvantage Fund' to purchase computers for primary aged disadvantaged children.
Portsmouth's Elementary Education Trust has allocated £70,000 to primary schools to buy devices to support disadvantaged children who are self-isolating.
Portsmouth City Council is also allocating £30,000 so the total fund will be £100,000.
The funding will be used by primary schools to help purchase devices and Wi-Fi access to support disadvantaged children in Portsmouth who may be asked to self-isolate and are unable to attend school.
Cllr Hugh Mason, Chair of the Trust and Cabinet Member for Planning Policy & City Development at Portsmouth City Council, said: "Our aim is to help give all children the opportunity to access education. This grant means that schools can loan these tablets to pupils to allow them to engage in online teaching, do their homework and keep up with their lessons.
Buying a computer and paying for wi-fi is just not possible for families on lower income and we are here to support them. We want to make sure these children don't fall behind during the pandemic."
Cllr Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council, said: "This is very welcome news during this challenging time. We continue to work hand in hand with schools to provide the tools they need to support pupils who may have to self-isolate. Schools in Portsmouth have plans to expand digital access and the delivery of remote education. We know this can only be a contribution to the collective effort we need but we hope it will be helpful."
The devices will be purchased by schools over the coming weeks for use by pupils who need to self-isolate at home and are in addition to the 862 devices and 168 BT hotspot wi-fi vouchers that the Government provided to Portsmouth City Council and to academies in the city earlier in the year to help pupils access online learning.
