Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said digital devices and internet connectivity would be provided for all students in the state regardless of their financial and geographical bottlenecks to pursue online classes without any hassles during the COVID-19 era. The government and private sectors will work in tandem to bridge the digital divide that has disadvantaged schoolchildren from needy families in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Urgent steps would be taken to ensure internet free of cost or at subsidised rate to needy children, the Chief Minsiter told the Assembly while detailing the measures to be taken by the government to avoid 'digital divide' among students in the state.

He identified that many other students, especially tribal children, lived in remote localities with no access to the Internet or mobile phone network coverage. Some families could not afford the Internet rate charged by service providers. “The government would not leave them behind,” he said.

He said Kerala could not rule out a third or even a fourth COVID-19 wave. Remote learning was here to stay for the foreseeable future. Hence, the State would equip school students and build the necessary digital infrastructure rapidly with an eye on the future.

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