That ICPA (Aust) thank the Federal Government and previous Minister for Communications (the Hon Michelle Rowland), nbn and the Low Income and Digital Inclusion Forum (LIDIF) for the nbn School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) that benefitted many rural and remote students.
To boost education opportunities and narrow the digital divide, the Australian Government provided around 30,000 qualifying families with school age children a free NBN service through its SSBI. Connected families receive free internet until 30 June 2028. 33% of these families are rural and remote. These families may well be unable to continue funding connectivity services beyond end of June 2028, due to their circumstances, compromising educational accessibility and optimal learning outcomes which in turn leads to the student being unable to fulfill their potential.
That the ICPA Federal thank the Government and those involved with bringing about the SSBI program (free nbn connection to low income families with school age children who did not have a working home internet connection), and now that this program is “full” (reached capacity), they aren’t taken any more applications, we’d like to see it continue and be expanded (more placements, continue to cover costs for those eligible families, and expanded application eligibility).
