Facebook is to provide free Wi-Fi to students in North Carolina in a move that education bosses say will provide a major boost to the popular 1:1 scheme.
The 1:1 initiative was introduced in 2011 with the goal of ensuring all pupils have access to personal computers. So far, around 6,000 of the area’s students have been given free laptops, but Facebook claims that almost half of these don’t have internet access at home.
According to mashable.com, the first project will be rolled out in just 75-100 homes in the Forest City area, where Facebook houses one of its data centres. It is thought, however, that the scheme could be extended if successful.
Rutherford County Schools’ superintendent, Dr Janet Mason, was quoted by techcrunch.com as saying: “One of the pillars of the 1:1 initiative is to ensure equal access to digital information for all students.
“We are thrilled to have partners like Facebook, PANGAEA Internet, and the Town of Forest City who share this vision and are enabling us to take another step toward delivering on our promise. When you can utilize technology to enhance educational opportunities for our county’s young people, everybody wins.”
Facebook’s announcement comes after the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revealed that it will spend around $2 billion on ensuring wireless internet access is available in schools across the country.
