Low-income families will receive free laptops and broadband access, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced today, before pledging £300 million to provide 270,000 families with laptop computers, The Guardian reported.

Children with access to laptops can perform better on exams, according to a recent study. Photo Credit: Adrienne, Imagens Diversas

Brown’s proposal aims to close the achievement gap between richer and poorer students and increase parents’ ability to connect with their children’s schools.

Research from the Institute of Fiscal Studies showed that having a laptop at home could lead to a two-grade improvement in GCSE exams, said the BBC. Free broadband connections back up Brown’s promise that all parents will be able to track school reports of their children’s progress online, said The Guardian. According to the BBC, families will be allowed to keep the laptop and will receive free broadband access for one year.

The Prime Minister’s announcement is also part of an overall campaign strategy, reported Channel 4 News – the beleaguered Labour Party has called on Brown to deliver “big ideas” that inspire voters.

Among those sceptical of funding sources is Nick Clegg, party leader for the Liberal Democrats. Unlike Brown, Clegg has cut several pricey policies from his agenda, including free universal childcare, said Channel 4. Clegg criticised his opponents for “bombarding people with gimmicks and promises the country can no longer afford.”