EVERY primary school pupil in Scotland will be given a brand new computer device under plans announced by Deputy First Minister John Swinney. 

The £350 million policy is designed to end the digital divide by equipping children with a brand-new laptop, Chromebook, or tablet.

The devices will come with free internet connection and are for use at school and at home.

Around a third of pupils missed out on virtual lessons during the pandemic, when pupils were forced to rely on their own devices at home, as they didn’t have access to a computer or broadband connection.

A UK-wide study conducted by Ofcom in January found that more than a third of low-income families didn't have access to the devices required for home schooling.

This was argued to have forged a digital divide between middle-class children and children from low-income families. 

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The SNP's free devices will all be age appropriate, with children starting with simpler technology and advancing as they progress through the school.

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Nicola Sturgeon tweet this morning: "If the SNP is re-elected in May, we will make sure every school pupil from P1 to P6 gets a laptop, Chromebook or tablet.

"In the digital age this should be as automatic as being given jotters and pencils was in years gone by."

Approximately £260m will be spent buying the devices for Scotland’s 792,000 pupils over the course of the next parliament.

A further £90m will go towards servicing and support costs, including teacher training and internet infrastructure.

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Deputy First Minister, and Education Secretary, John Swinney set out the pioneering policy in his speech at the SNP’s campaign conference this afternoon.

He said: “We put tens of thousands of new laptops and Chromebooks in the hands of children learning at home during lockdown. But I want to do more. 

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“COVID has reinforced the need to break down the barriers to learning. A child cannot do their homework on mum or dad’s phone. And they cannot study online if they can’t connect to the internet.

“These tools are no longer luxuries. They are the basic building blocks of a good education.

“It is time now to recognise that. And, because education is about levelling up, it must be done for everyone. Rich and poor alike.

“Just as in my day, the teacher handed out a jotter to all, so in this internet age, we will hand each child the device they need to learn and prosper. 

“If we are re-elected in May, the SNP will roll out a new programme to deliver into the hands of every school child in Scotland a laptop, Chromebook or tablet to use in school and at home.

“We will end the digital divide between those who have access to the rich educational resources of the internet and open that electronic world to every child in Scotland.”

The devices will all come with technical support and will include appropriate safety and security packages, according to the SNP.

The party has pledged that the devices will be updated and replaced when necessary and upgraded as technology improves.

However, Scottish Labour deputy leader, Jackie Baillie, said: “This is just the latest example of the SNP hiding its atrocious record in office by trotting out policies that they have failed to execute, or that they have no plan to implement.

“The facts speak for themselves – under the SNP, the digital divide between the wealthiest and the poorest has grown.”

Scottish Conservative education spokesman, Jamie Greene, said: “The SNP left too many pupils without access to vital devices for learning at home over the last year.

“They ignored our calls for more support for online learning for months but it seems that now an election campaign is under way they are willing to admit they didn’t do enough.”

The Deputy First Minister refuted the Westminster Government's claims that Holyrood may have exceeded its powers, when it incorporated the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law. 

The Bill was passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament.

Swinney argued: “Scotland unanimously wants to protect the rights of children – our own children – and Westminster says that we are not allowed.

“That is not just morally repugnant – it is deeply menacing.”

He continued: “If the UK Tory Government wants to target the rights of Scottish children they had better be ready for us.

“We are unanimous. We are determined. And – if need be – we will see the UK Tory Government in court.”

Swinney also used the speech to extend his absolute support to SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, asserting that she has "all it takes to lead Scotland".

The First Minister has been faced with a challenging year as she led the country through the pandemic and faced some criciticisms for her handling of the crisis. 

She has also had to deal with recent investigations into the way her administration handled sexual harassment complaints, brought against her by former mentor and First Minister Alex Salmond. 

However, speaking about Sturgeon, Swinney said that she has been "tested like no other leader in modern Scottish history" and has "come through".

"We all know she has all that it takes to lead Scotland through these crucial days," he added.