The Provincial Government announced it is investing $20 million for the purchase of laptops for all teachers, and Chromebooks for all junior high and high school students across the K-12 education system. The devices will be distributed as they become available through a public procurement process which is underway.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how technology is central to education that is learner-centred and accessible from anywhere, allowing for the continuation of teaching and learning when there is an interruption to in-school classes.
The investment will ensure equal access to education so that every student, regardless of their ability, location or socio-economic status, can continue their learning outside of the classroom, while providing teachers with the tools they need to effectively deliver remote instruction.
It will also move the K-12 system toward a true digital learning environment, a cornerstone of both The Way Forward and the Education Action Plan, which includes the expansion of supportive technology across all nine focus areas of the Action Plan, such as inclusion, student mental health and wellness, mathematics and reading.