Memorandum of cooperation "Computer for every child" signed at Riga Castle

  • 2021-05-16
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Memorandum of cooperation "Computer for every child", an initiative coordinated by President Egils Levits' advisor on information and digital policy Ieva Ilves, was signed in Riga Castle today, as Education and Science minister Ilga Suplinska (New Conservative Party) said at a meeting of the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments.

The memorandum was signed by President Egils Levits, Suplinska, Environmental Protection and Regional Development Minister Arturs Toms Pless (For Development/For), Finance Minister Janis Reirs, Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee's head Arvils Aseradens, and the Association of Local and Regional Governments' chairman Gints Kaminskis.

By signing the memorandum, the parties committed to make all possible effort to provide all students and teachers in Latvia with computers required to ensure modern learning.

The Education and Science Ministry's Parliamentary Secretary Reinis Znotins told LETA that the memorandum did not include the provision of the Internet, although the ministry had insisted that the memorandum should also address the problem of the Internet in households and schools.

Three months ago the Education and Science Ministry signed a memorandum of cooperation with Latvia's largest Internet providers so that students and teachers could use the Internet free of charge this school year, said Znotins.

He emphasized that the quality and accessibility of the Internet was not the in the Education and Science Ministry's competence, it was a responsibility of the Transport Ministry and the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry.

It is important to not only provide a student with a computer and the Internet, but also to provide technical support, for instance, in cases when a device needs to be repaired, Znotins added.