The non-governmental organization EducationSuperHighway announced that it has received a second round of funding totaling $9 million (€6,640,000) to improve broadband in American schools. Currently, 72% of American schools have low-speed connections or no internet access at all.
“More than 40 million students are being left behind without the necessary internet access or Wi-Fi, which are essential to fully benefit from digital learning,” said EducationSuperHighway CEO Evan Marwell
According to TechCrunch, the bulk of the funding came from the non-profit organization “Education,” headed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, as well as the Gates Foundation, the charitable organization of Microsoft founder Bill Gatesand his wife Melinda. Many other foundations and educational institutions also contributed to the effort.
“When schools and teachers have access to reliable internet connections, students can discover new skills and ideas,” Zuckerberg said. “The future of our economy and society depends in large part on the next generation, and I’m pleased to support the work of EducationSuperHighway,” he continued.
