Only 18 of Scotland’s 32 councils have signed up to a £9 million Scottish government scheme designed to put 25,000 laptops into the hands of disadvantaged pupils to support digital learning.

Tes Scotland obtained the figures from the Scottish government, which also said that, to date, 20,000 of the devices had been distributed to councils, with the remainder expected to be delivered by the end of this week.

Coronavirus: Free laptops for disadvantaged pupils

The councils’ umbrella body, Cosla, said that local authorities received a total of £25 million in government funding to tackle digital exclusion, which included the 25,000 laptops, but that some authorities had opted to take their allocation as cash.

---

Coronavirus: ‘Digitally excluded’ pupils to get laptops before new term

Related: Glasgow’s mass iPad rollout: ‘We will not apologise’

Funding: School forced to fundraise to keep pupils learning

Children’s commissioner: Disadvantaged families without devices or internet are being excluded

---

A Cosla spokesperson said: “There are a number of reasons why a council might opt for cash over Chromebooks (eg, they have opted to use other devices in their learning strategy, Chromebooks won’t work with their IT systems), and every council is deploying this additional resource in a way which best meets the needs of digitally excluded children and young people locally.”

One of the biggest barriers to home learning for pupils during the coronavirus lockdown was identified as access to technology and a reliable internet connection.

In response, in May, the Scottish government announced it was investing in 25,000 devices for disadvantaged pupils.

However, there was a furore last month when it transpired, through a parliamentary question, that none of the laptops had been given to pupils. The revelation prompted first minister Nicola Sturgeon to promise the devices would be distributed in time for the new school year.

Scottish schools started returning a week ago, with all pupils due back full time today.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “As of 14 August, the supplier had shipped around 20,000 Chromebooks to local authorities, and we expect the remaining devices to arrive by the end of this week. Councils are in charge of issuing the laptops to pupils who need them as they return to school, in line with their reopening plans.

“In addition, all councils have received funding to let them order equipment and connectivity packages tailored to local needs - which initial data suggests will result in another 45,000 devices for disadvantaged children and young people - as part of our £30 million investment to support digital inclusion for learners as we continue to live with Covid-19, including £5 million for the further education sector.”

Fife Council received the lion’s share of the devices - 4,139 laptops - whilst Glasgow City Council, which last year began distributing iPads to its pupils, received just 300.

Carrie Lindsay, Fife Council’s director of education and children’s services, said: “We are delighted to be receiving these devices and have a programme developed for distribution and for training of staff to ensure maximum benefit for our children and young people.”

Here is the breakdown in full. 

Local Authority

Number of devices

Aberdeen City

1,447

Aberdeenshire

2,725

Angus

1,111

Argyll & Bute

800

Clackmannanshire

674

East Ayrshire

1,366

East Dunbartonshire

815

East Lothian

407

East Renfrewshire

590

Fife

4,139

Glasgow City

300

Highland

3,248

Midlothian

1,235

North Ayrshire

750

South Ayrshire

1,200

South Lanarkshire

1,792

Stirling

1,528

West Dunbartonshire

358