Schools were closed on Tuesday with millions of children now expected to learn at home
Credit: Reuters
Mobile networks have been accused of “locking children out of learning” by resisting calls to provide free data access to home-learning websites.
Teaching insiders said mobile networks had so far refused requests to “zero rate” education websites, making them free to use for all users, with the operators claiming it would take too long.
A source said current offers of extra data for vulnerable students “do not go far enough and are not reaching enough people”.
The Oak Academy, the online school set up by the Government during the first lockdown, said students were being “locked out of learning due to the punitive costs of mobile data”.
Data from the Department of Education showed just 200 vulnerable families had signed up to a pilot scheme from mobile networks to offer 20GB of extra data in October. The scheme officially launched on December 23.
Millions of children learned on Monday that their schools would not be opening until at least the February half term as the UK was plunged into a third national lockdown. Teachers were forced to switch classes to remote learning after just one day of classes.
Matt Hood, the Principal of the Oak Academy, said: “The cost of internet access to the poorest families is the single biggest issue that is preventing all children being able to access learning during lockdown.
“Once again it’s the poorest families that are hit hardest, with the risk of being locked out of lockdown learning altogether.
“It’s time for the big four telecoms firms to step up and do their bit. It’s very simple: make education sites zero-rated. This cannot happen soon enough and we would urge them to do the right thing and to do it quickly.”
The Oak Academy estimated that on pay-as-you-go rates roughly one day of learning would use up 1GB of data at a cost of £97.
More than 900,000 children only have internet access through mobile networks, while half a million have no internet access at all, according to Ofcom.
🚨Me shouting about 'zero rating' again (that's tech for 'no data charges for using education websites')🚨 @Ofcom reckon 1m kids do remote ed via mobile, 20% of households are struggling to pay for the data and 5% are cutting back on food and clothes to pay it. This is not ok
— Matt Hood (@matthewhood) January 4, 2021
Mobile networks have offered free mobile packages for students, some of up to 20GB.
A Virgin spokesperson said it offered the data after eligibility checks by the Department for Education. Three, BT-owned EE, Sky, Smarty and Tesco mobile have also joined a Government scheme, while Vodafone is offering 7,000 schools free data sim cards.
A BT spokesperson said: “Connectivity is absolutely essential to helping children keep up with their learning throughout the pandemic, which is why we partner with the Department for Education to give 20GB of free data per month to disadvantaged families.”
It is understood telecoms firms believe it is fairer to only offer free packages to vulnerable users. A source stressed creating a “zero rating” bypass would take too long.
Education websites, such as the Oak Academy, often used third-party tools, such as YouTube, Zoom, Google’s Classroom or BBC iPlayer content, which would also need to be given a free pass to work. Mr Hood said that the Oak Academy had found a solution, but so far mobile providers had not implemented it to “zero rate” the service.
On Tuesday morning, Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner, called on networks to “step up and provide free data capacity for children and families at this time of emergency.”
Anne Longfield, the Children's Commissioner, called for more free data for students
She told the BBC’s Today: “There is no doubt remote learning and large amounts of time out of school has a very negative effect on children.
“Remote learning now needs to be a high priority for the Government. A lot of children still do not have laptops, they are surviving on broken phones. Those children should be seen as a priority to get into the classroom and deemed as a vulnerable child.
“There is also the issue of the cost of data and this is something that tech companies and broadband companies really need to step up to now.”
“You have some children living in households with plenty of tech and plenty of superfast broadband. And others in cramped conditions and no outdoor space and parents who need to continue to work.”
As many as 1.7 million students also lack access to the necessary laptops and technology needed for home-learning, according to official data.
A Department for Education spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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