'One Laptop Per Child' push growing

A global push to give every child a laptop is gathering momentum in Australia despite the absence of government funding.

One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is a worldwide initiative to give children, aged between four and 15 from low socioeconomic areas, access to laptops.

There are more than 1.5 million of the specially designed XO laptops, which are made specifically for children many of whom live in harsh environments.

In less than three years, every child in Uruguay has been provided with their own laptop and now the initiative is growing in Australia, typically for children in remote communities.

The executive director of OLPC Australia, Rangan Srikhanta is making it his mission to arm 400,000 Aussie kids with their own laptop.

Mr Srikhanta, who was addressing the World Computer Congress in Brisbane on Monday, told AAP the Australian program began in May 2009 and by the end of October 2010, 4000 children will have a laptop. By June 2011 the number will be 15,000.

So far, corporate donations from the CBA, Telstra, News Limited and school communities total $4 million - but the only government to chip in has been the Northern Territory's administration.

Former education minister turned Prime Minister Julia Gillard, has always spruiked the value of a good education, but the federal government has tightened the purse strings - so far.

"We've received no funding from the federal government, but what they have given us is tax-deductible status," Mr Srikhanta told AAP.

"The government's commitment actually comes in when the corporations and the public starts donating tax deductible gifts.

"But instead of sitting in the corner writing policy papers about why they should be doing this we're just going to go out there and make it happen."

The computers have been rolled out in remote areas in the Pilbara in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and far north Queensland.

NSW and South Australia are next on the agenda.

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