A donation of €15,000 from the golden passports scheme will go towards buying computers for children who need them to continue their studies online, Citizenships Parliamentary Secretary Alex Muscat said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Muscat said the funds generated from the controversial cash-for-passports scheme and other such programmes were there to be used at a time of need such as this one.

“Education is the key to making sure future generations will thrive and this money will enable children from a disadvantaged background to keep up with other children, and ensure they are able to follow the curriculum.”

Education Minister Owen Bonnici also announced that Bad Boy Cleaners and Mr Clean had made a donation of 30 tablets to the initiative, which along with five other donations, enabled the ministry to loan out computers to children from church schools as well as state schools.

Last week, 200 computers were loaned out to disadvantaged children, and free internet access was given to around another 200.

However, Bonnici appealed for more donations for other families who needed help since there were not have enough computers to give out.

Along with a number of technological devices donated to the ministry by businesses, Birkirkara councillor Justin Schembri, followed in the Education Minister’s footsteps and contributed a month of his pay to the initiative.