Laptop for a student. The stinking problem finally aired out

This is one of those initiatives about which we can say: the idea may have been right, but the execution leaves much to be desired. Not to mention that it’s just that A lot of money was wasted. The program was prepared and implemented in a hurry, the electoral calendar played an important role in it. In theory, the project was supposed to equalize opportunities and become a springboard for society’s digital competences. In practice, Krzysiek watches YouTubers on the equipment he received, and Kasia’s grandmother can explore investment platforms found on Facebook.

I will not go into detail about the assumptions of the “Laptop for a student” program. I will write that it was the idea of ​​the previous government, which meant that fourth-grade students received laptops in 2023. Then it turned out that there was a problem with financing the project, that it did not fit into the broader strategy, and that there was actually no idea how students should use this equipment to benefit their education. It looked like that politicians simply decided to hand out hundreds of thousands of computers before the elections. Over time, it was found that even determining the number of devices needed was difficult…

I come back to the topic because of the equipment that turned out to be extra in the above-mentioned initiative. More than two years ago, it turned out that there was a problem: 10,000 pieces of paper were collecting dust in warehouses. laptops that you can’t do much with. The new government received this inheritance from the old team and decided to publicize the matter to make fun of its predecessors.

At that time it was reported that the number was 10,000. machines that came under the wing of the Scientific and Academic Computer Network (NASK). Where does the surplus come from? This was explained, among others, by: imprecise data provided by schools. The latter simply overstated actual needs. The most interesting thing, however, is that at that stage it was not entirely clear how many devices had been exceeded in the order. Because already in the second half of 2024, the talk was not about 10,000, but about 16,000. devices. Other sources stated that it was 19,000. laptops. It’s a lucky country that can afford such a mess.

It would seem that there will soon be other people interested in this equipment. Especially since schools apparently expressed their willingness to accept laptops in their computer labs. However, another problem arose here: the regulations did not allow it. The act regulating the “Laptop for students” program does not provide for further distribution of refunds. Therefore, the equipment had to be placed in storage and wait for the law to change. And we’re talking about electronics worth several dozen million zlotys.

It’s hard to say what would have happened to laptops had it not been for the natural disaster. Specifically flood that hit several voivodeships in September 2024. The ruling coalition then decided that the collected equipment would be sent to the areas affected by the disaster. Was the new idea implemented? We asked this question to the Ministry of Digitization. From the responses, we learned that the laptops were handed over to authorities running various types of institutions: from public primary and secondary schools, through psychological and pedagogical counseling centers, to primary schools in correctional facilities and shelters for minors.

The choice of the authority managing the school or institution to which the laptops were provided was made by the minister responsible for education and upbringing in consultation with local government units, taking into account the state of natural disaster that occurred in the fall of 2024. The minister responsible for education and upbringing, while selecting the authority managing the school or institution, also determined the list of schools and institutions selected to provide the above-mentioned. support

Importantly, finally managed to count the devices. The ministry informed Telepolis.pl that NASK handed over 18,389 laptops to the competent authorities. The task was carried out until the end of August 2025. We learned from the NASK representative that it included, among others: concluding contracts with school governing bodies, logistics and warehousing services, as well as ongoing support for the above-mentioned bodies.

An important question comes to mind: as part of this campaign, NASK cleared its warehouses of equipment from the “Laptop for students” program? Yes. The representative of the institution assured us that it no longer has the devices purchased under the above-mentioned initiative.

A separate thread in this story was the investigation of inaccuracies in the program. In February 2024, when the suspension of the “Laptop for a student” program was announced, it was also reported that tenders under this project were incompetently managed. The Minister of Digitization, Krzysztof Gawkowski, even argued that during their implementation, criminal provisions were violated.

Corruption situations could have occurred, and therefore, in a confidential manner – because we received such information during the audit – a report will be submitted to the prosecutor’s office, which will concern the possibility of committing a crime when organizing this tender.

These were not words thrown into the wind, the Warsaw prosecutor’s office was informed about the possibility of committing a crime during the tender for the purchase of equipment in the discussed program. What happened? Well, at the beginning of March last year it turned out that The District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw… discontinued the investigation into the “Laptop for students” program. There were no signs of a crime. And in case anyone was wondering, the following fragment was added:

The proceedings were based on classified materials, and the justification for the decision to discontinue the case is also confidential, the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw said.