In the program, hailed as the first of its kind in Poland, teachers are also slated to receive vouchers to acquire laptops.
The legislation behind the program received broad-based support, gaining approval from the Polish parliament in May. All parties backed the initiative except for the far-right Konfederacja (Confederation), which voted against it, and the centrist Polska 2050 (Poland 2050), which abstained from voting.
From this year onwards, each student entering the fourth grade will be equipped with a laptop. Teachers will be granted vouchers valued at PLN 2,500 (EUR 560) to purchase laptops from a roster of government-approved vendors.
"The free laptop program is an integral component of our family-friendly policies, as public services, including education, are a critical aspect of life," Deputy Minister of Family and Social Policy Barbara Socha was quoted as saying by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
She added that "handing children laptops and Internet access carries significant risks, making it imperative for parents to educate their children on responsible usage".
Last week, Poland’s Ministry of Digitization disclosed that it had already secured contracts for the supply of over 290,000 laptops produced by leading tech firms such as Lenovo, HP, Dell, Asus, and Acer. The ministry aims to finalize contracts for the full tally of 394,346 devices by mid-September.
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Source: IAR, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna