On 30 January, at the Riga Castle, President of Latvia hosted the meeting of Council of the Memorandum of Cooperation ‘Computer for every child’. Members of the Council approved new members and discussed current priorities of the project. Council members also had an opportunity to test the first batch of computers delivered under procurement contract.
President of Latvia Egils Levits opened the meeting by warmly thanking the previous council members and other stakeholders for the progress. ‘Digital skills nowadays are as crucial as reading and writing a century ago. And you need the tool, the computer to learn digital skills. This is a strategic initiative that will significantly improve digital skills of Latvian people and close the digital gap in our country. By reaching its goal of providing computer to every child and teacher anywhere in Latvia by 2025, this project will boost also Latvia’s growth because our economic development is closely tied with people’s digital proficiency,’ President said.
Council of the Memorandum of Cooperation ‘Computer for every child’ has new composition after the election of 14th Saeima and forming of the 41st Cabinet of Ministers: Ieva Ilvesa, representative of the President of Latvia and adviser for Information and Digital Policy, Anda Čakša, Minister for Education and Science, Arvils Ašeradens, Finance Minister, Māris Sprindžuks, Minister for Regional Development and Environmental Protection, Agita Zariņa-Stūre, Chairperson of Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee, and Guntis Kaminskis, President of Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments.
Ieva Ilves, the Chairperson of the Council, briefed new council members about projects results so far. Council reviewed the first computer procurement contract (the first batch of 25 thousand computers was procured in September 2022), discussed progress with the second procurement and more precise computer procurement planning framework based on analysis specific needs and computer use patterns. Other Council future priorities were also discussed.
Cooperation memorandum ‘Computer for every child’ was signed in Riga Castle on 14 May 2021. It is the initiative led by President Levits and coordinated by Council composed of representatives from Presidential Chancery, Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Regional Development and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Finance, Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee and Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments.
