The Scottish Government has announced an additional £1.3 million in Scottish school funding to provide computing tech to kids across the country.

Schools will be able to access cash to refresh computing science tech for pupils and get them interested in future careers in sector roles.

They can now bid for up to £3,000 in Scottish school funding for additional computing science equipment, devices, software or teaching resources.

Additionally, two class sets of pocket-sized computers will also be given to each school to educate pupils on how software and hardware can work together.

Commenting on the news, Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “It is essential that we have as many talented young people leaving schools with the skills Scotland’s technology sector and wider economy fundamentally depends upon.

“This investment aims to refresh computing science lessons for learners – equipping them with the skills they need for careers in tech.”

Toni Scullion and Brendan McCart, who are part of the Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science (STACS), said: “We are delighted to be appointed as co-leads of STACS. This is an incredible opportunity for Computing Science, and we are looking forward to working with the dedicated teachers across Scotland who are delivering Computing Science in schools.

“This initiative recognises the importance of Computing Science as a subject in schools and the integral part it plays in Scotland’s ambition for a Digital Nation.

“Computing Science in education has a key role in helping to engage, nurture and inspire the next generation of talent and that journey starts in the classroom.”

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The latest funding goes some way to following suggestions from Mark Logan’s Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review, released in August 2020, in which he suggested that investment be put towards improving computing science provision in schools.

Initiatives such as the Digital Xtra Fund and ‘Digital Critical Friends’ are also helping to bridge the digital skills gap in Scotland.

The Digital Xtra Fund recently invited applications for initiatives to help young Scots to access digital skills needed for careers in sectors such as cybersecurity and STEM subjects.

Logan added: “It’s vital to the future supply of talent into Scotland’s tech sector that Computing Science at school level is elevated to the same level of importance as other STEM subjects.

“The additional funding for Computing Science announced by the Scottish Government and the formation of STACS, which makes teachers major participants in advancing the subject in Scotland, are key building blocks on the way to that goal.”

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