From the Guardian Newspaper. The Commons education select committee was told on Tuesday that the shift to online learning during Covid has not solved the problem of digital poverty for many families in England.

Elizabeth Anderson, chief executive of the Learning Foundation and the Digital Poverty Alliance, said recent research by Deloitte had shown that one in five children still lack access to a device that’s suitable for learning.

The problem is likely to be compounded as parents struggling in the cost of living crisis are resorting to cutting off their broadband in order to try to save money, the committee was told.

The issue is likely to become even more critical as national examinations gradually move online, putting children who do not have proper access to a digital device with a keyboard – rather than just a smartphone – at a disadvantage, the committee heard.