Dumfries and Galloway College has welcomed a donation of 20 laptops from energy company Drax.
The consignment of Chromebooks comes as part of the company’s partnership with schools and colleges in the Dumfries and Galloway area which has seen a total of 62 computers given away.
As a rural area, Dumfries and Galloway suffers from digital poverty, this can mean a lack of access to suitable devices or a lack of access to an internet connection.
This scheme is designed to address this digital poverty directly with the provision of devices and prepaid internet access.”
Dumfries and Galloway College will issue the laptops directly to students without internet access to ensure that they can continue their studies with minimal disruption.
Drax has invested £250,000 in 853 new laptops and each one has three months of pre-paid internet access via a 30GB dongle to support their learning over the summer term.
Being a key part of the economy in the South of Scotland is a top priority for the college, established by Principal Joanna Campbell, and partnering with vital local businesses is key to this.
Under Joanna’s leadership, the college will continue to be a fundamental part of the region’s economic activity and will play a key role in its post-COVID-19 recovery and future prosperity.
Principal Joanna Campbell said:
“We are delighted to welcome this generous donation from Drax which will help us to ensure that our learners without regular internet access can continue to work towards their qualifications.
“In these difficult circumstances, the importance of colleges as key economic actors cannot be understated and Dumfries and Galloway College will continue to do everything we can to be part of both the local and national effort.
“The team at Drax are to be congratulated on this fine initiative and can rest assured that they have our full support.”
Head of Corporate Services, Billy Currie, added:
“This donation of laptops from Drax is going to make a huge difference to the lives of students currently without access to online educational resources – as well as our whole college community after the Coronavirus lockdown is over.
“Ensuring no-one gets left behind in their studies during the lockdown is a priority for us, but schools and colleges don’t just provide education – they’re a whole support system.
Having computers and internet access means pupils can keep in touch with their teachers and fellow students more easily too – which is also incredibly important at the moment.”
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