More households to be eligible for computer subsidies

SINGAPORE — About 5,000 more low-income households and persons with disabilities are set to qualify for subsidies for computers and Internet access, as part of an expanded Government programme to promote computer ownership.

The NEU PC Plus Programme lets students and persons with disabilities own a new computer at a discount of up to 75 per cent, bundled with three years of free broadband access. 

From September, the maximum monthly household income threshold for one to qualify for this programme will be raised from S$3,000 to S$3,400.

The per-capita income cap for low-income households will be raised to S$900 (from S$800), or S$1,125 (from S$875) if there is a family member with disabilities. 

This means paying as little as S$239 for a desktop or S$248 for a laptop.

Application for the scheme will also be streamlined so that special education students already on financial assistance will automatically qualify for a higher subsidy.

Announcing these enhancements at an inaugural forum for information and assisting technology yesterday, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said that policymakers have a role to provide infrastructure and create a more inclusive environment, including making technology accessible to those who need it.

The NEU PC Plus programme has benefited more than 27,000 households since its launch in 2006.

A new mobile classroom, retrofitted with assistive technology gadgets such as Braille keyboards and speech-generating devices, was also unveiled at the forum. 

This wheelchair-accessible bus will travel to special education schools and offer workshops customised for a range of special needs, such as cerebral palsy, visual impairment and autism. 

Occupational therapists will also be on board to help at these workshops. 

This mobile classroom is part of the Infocomm Development Authority’s Lab on Wheels programme, aimed at taking technology to schools.