To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28563 by Jenny Gilruth on 31 July 2024, how it plans to support any digitally excluded children who do not have access to the internet at home now that Microsoft tools will only remain available through web-based versions in Glow.
The Scottish Government is working hard to support hard pressed families to be able to enjoy the benefits of digital inclusion. Since 2022, around 280,000 digital devices had already been provided to learners along with 14,000 connectivity packages.
The Scottish Government is developing a new digital strategy, for school education in Scotland, in partnership with COSLA and key education stakeholders. The strategy will outline the important role we believe digital tools and services play in the future of Scottish education and will highlight the key features of successful technology provision. It will consider both people and technology aspects of digital in education in Scotland to help support deployment and purposeful use of technology in our schools.
Through our Connecting Scotland programme, the Scottish Government provides internet-enabled devices, connectivity, and digital skills support to those who are digitally excluded. Since it was established, the programme has delivered more than 61,000 devices, removing barriers to digital access and supporting inclusion.