20% Of Children Leave Education Without Qualifications - Coronavirus Makes This Much Uglier
Sheffield, UK, Feb 23, 2021 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
It is a fact that 20% of all children leave compulsory education without basic qualifications. This situation has worsened over the last year, and it’s impossible to overstate how damaging the prior year has been for many children. What impact this will have on educational standards is yet to be seen, but the indicators aren’t good.
The Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield is worried and is lobbying Government to introduce a “Covid covenant” of education and wellbeing support.
Boris Johnson has stated that educational catch up is one of the Government’s key focus points. Children need to be at the centre of the “build back better” campaign. Anne Longfield wants to ensure this pledge is delivered.
With the advent of Coronavirus and prolonged lockdowns e-learning platforms, home computing devices and access to the Internet are now essential educational tools. Compare Fibre reports that 4.7m people are struggling to afford to pay for their home broadband, and without the Internet education, these households will suffer.
One of the essential requirements to help children in low-income families have a chance to achieve their educational levels is to have affordable access to the Internet. Internet affordability is critical so that it doesn’t become a choice between learning or food.
Nathan Hill-Haimes Co-Founder of price comparison website Compare Fibre said,
“Enabling lower-income household to eat, learn and work, should be a top government priority. Access to the Internet is a human right fundamentally connected to a basic standard of living.”
“To support this, Compare Fibre announces gathering momentum for it’s petition to provide affordable internet access (£10/month) to families of children on free school meals.”
“I applaud Darren Jones and his elevating the awareness of this issue through the Internet Access Bill’ – this is a pragmatic long-term solution which The Government should make into law.”
“Compare Fibre is backing the Internet Access Bill. In support we have launched a Petition to lobby Boris Johnson, to enable the provision of affordable internet access available to families of children on school meals.”
https://www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-enable-means-tested-broadband-for-lower-income-familiespetition