TOO MANY CHILDREN STILL OFF-LINE AT HOME, SAYS ULSTER TEACHERS’ UNION

Tens of thousands of Ulster children are still off-line at home, according to recent research.

Those from the poorest families are two-and-a-half-times less likely to have the internet at home than children from the richest homes, according to the E-Learning Foundation.

“The statistics were gathered from GB but there is no reason why the same proportions of children without home internet access would be any different here in Northern Ireland,” said Avril Hall Callaghan, General Secretary of the Ulster Teachers’ Union.

“This translates to around 50,000 children who aren’t able to get online at home. Indeed, with Northern Ireland’s lower standard of living than many areas in GB we could well have proportionately more children without home access.”

The E-Learning Foundation, which works to ensure that all children have access to the internet and a computer at home, has analysed the latest government spending survey.

It found that while computer access is growing in better-off households, those from low-income families are being left behind.
It is warning that many of the UK's poorest children face being severely educationally disadvantaged by their lack of access to technology as a result.

"Children living in poverty in Northern Ireland is a very real challenge. For those at school, this translates into very tangible disadvantages when it comes to completing homework, researching topics, independent learning, and communicating with teachers and classmates on the school learning platform,” said Ms Hall Callaghan.

"Without the use of a computer and the ability to go online at home the attainment gap that characterises children from low income families is simply going to get worse.”