Richmond schoolboy has started a petition calling for multinational tech companies to donate devices to children during the pandemic.
Harry Beresford-Peirse, 13, is asking big businesses such as Apple and Microsoft to give second-hand laptops to schools where remote learning is now a requirement.
The year 9 pupil is looking to right the unfairness that’s happening with school children not having laptops to learn.
Media regulator Ofcom estimates there are 1.1-1.8 million children in the UK without a digital device on which they can learn.
Harry heard that out of 66 laptops needed for students at his primary school only 2 were provided by the government.
“I am a year 9 pupil and I know from first-hand experience that distance learning is extremely hard, and I can only imagine how difficult it would be without a device.
“Keeping up with distance learning would be nearly impossible.”
Harry’s goal is to ensure that every child in Richmond has access to their own device.
Harry Beresford-Peirse, 13, is asking tech companies to donate laptops over lockdown
He is sending letters to top companies to share some of their resources, whether they are old, used, or unused.
His change.org petition has already gained over 20,000 signatures as the race to fight educational inequality intensifies.
