The purpose is to make free internet available for students in vulnerable social-economic situation registered in Higher Education Institutions (IES) from the federal network from all over the country is still fulfilled. The Ministry of Education (MEC) decided to extend the Connected Students project until June 2021.

Initially, the project, developed as emergency due to the impacts of Covid-19, demanded the need of connectivity for six months, period estimated to overcome the pandemic. Considering the current scenario and observing the public health measures, MEC and the National Education and Research Network (RNP) continue, at least until the end of the first half-year, to execute the initiative for these students to be able to continue their academic activities remotely and have access to on-line educational content offered by the institutions where they study. 

Until the publication of this news, 105,452 chips had been delivered to 87 universities and federal institutes all over Brazil. With the MEC decision to extend the action, RNP continues to serve the students already included in the program without interruption and opens the opportunity for other students who meet the requirements of the project to be benefited.

It is worth pointing out that the chips already delivered to the contemplated IES continue working  while the project is in force and there is no need to discard or change the devices. In addition, the deadline for the Higher Education Institutions that joined the program within the deadline stipulated by MEC to request chips, as necessary, remains open. For this purpose, the professionals indicated by the deans of HEI in the Term of Adhesion to the project just have to send their requests for chips to e-mail atendimento@rnp.br, informing first the total number of chips grouped by state and municipality, according to the guidelines described in the Term of Adhesion.

In the first half 2021, the Ministry of Education will carry out another assessment to identify whether there is a need to extend the implementation period of the initiative again. In addition to an agile response to the pandemic to continue fulfilling the social right to education assured by the Federal Constitution to all citizens safely, the Connected Students project is an affirmative action of MEC that contributes to democratizing the access to education, boosting the digital inclusion and reducing the inequalities in the access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), especially in areas far away from large centers, where the Internet offer is still incipient.