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Secondary school students in German-speaking region to receive free laptops

09:43 06/04/2023

Secondary school students in the German-speaking region of Belgium will soon all be equipped with laptops, the office of German-speaking government education minister Lydia Klinkenberg has announced.

The announcement follows on from the ministry’s pledge in 2017 to provide free laptops to all secondary school students, apprentices and teachers in the German-speaking community.

“To date, 916 teachers out of approximately 1,600 eligible people have ordered a device,” the minister's office said.

“The first secondary school students and apprentices have also been working with their devices since September 2022.

"During the current school year, more than two thirds of secondary school students, or 3,736 out of approximately 5,000, will be equipped.”

The initial equipment is expected to cost €3.75 million until the 2024-25 school year - financed with funds from the European Union as part of its recovery plan.

From March 2025 and beyond, roughly €1 million a year will be needed to finance the measure.

“By equipping all secondary school students, we make a major contribution to equity in education and we significantly stimulate digitalisation in education and therefore also school development,” the minister said.

Written by Paul Millar