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Education in schools has come to depend immensely on broadband connectivity, given internet’s infinite stock of helpful and relevant resources. Zuckerberg’s Education initiative and Gates’ Foundation have now dished out funds to help schools in U.S. get this much-needed high-speed internet access.

There are virtually countless educational tools that can be very helpful for school students in grasping basic concepts, learning in an interactive manner and gaining access to otherwise remote educational resources. Most of this needs a high-speed internet connection which is not something many schools can afford today.

To help with this, Zuckerberg’s Startup ‘Education’ and Gates’ Foundation have now contributed funds to the tune of $9 million. The contribution went to nonprofit organization, EducationSuperHighway, which helps school in improving connectivity.

In a statement commemorating the occasion, Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg stated, “When schools and teachers have access to reliable Internet connections, students can discover new skills and ideas beyond the classroom.”

The gesture is certainly commendable, given that nearly 80% schools today don’t have good enough internet connectivity. To offset this, President Obama said earlier this year that he aims to offer high-speed internet access to 99% of the students by the end of next five years. That may sound ambitious but is also pertinent for quality education in schools around the country.

One of the key reasons why most school are unable to access high-speed internet are the costs. For most schools, its an investment to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, a commitment they can’t afford. With contributions from the likes of Zuckerberg’s Education initiative and Gates foundation, these school may finally be able to afford this much-needed facility.

Courtesy: ABC News

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