Premium Google Meet now free for schools till September 30

As families and educators continue to face the new realities of juggling work, school, and play at home, Google is offering premium Meet video conferencing features free for schools through September 30.

Google Meet has crossed 50 million downloads on Play Store, a massive 900 per cent increase in user base in a span of few weeks as people work from home in the Covid-19 pandemic. Meet is currently hosting 3 billion minutes of video meetings and adding roughly 3 million new users every day.

To help provide kids access to online learning and educational tools, Google said that its ‘G Suite for Education' tools can be used from any device and help more than 120 million teachers and students around the world work and learn together.

The tech giant has also launched a new ‘Teach from Home' hub for teachers with information and resources so that they can keep teaching, even as many schools closed due to Covid-19.

"This hub includes tutorials, step-by-step guides, and inspiration for distance learning during school closures," Google said in a statement on Friday.

"Our teams are working to provide opportunities for families to learn together at home, including the new YouTube Learn at Home families site, virtual field trips and explorations through Google Arts & Culture, and the global roll-out of our AI-enabled reading app," said Kristie Canegallo, VP of Trust and Safety at Google.

The new Kids tab on Google Play makes it easier for parents to find enriching and engaging apps for their children.

Teacher Approved apps must meet Play's Designed for Families security and privacy requirements.

The Teacher Approved programme was launched in the US in early April, and will be rolling out globally later in the year.

The Family Link app from Google helps parents create healthy habits for their child or teen as they learn, play, and explore online.

"Parents can keep an eye on screen time with daily limits and a bedtime on Android and Chromebook devices. They can also help guide their child to better content with download approvals, per-app time limits and content filters," informed Mark Risher, Director of Product Management for Kids and Families.

Another ‘Be Internet Awesome' programme teaches kids about digital literacy and online safety.

The programme features an interactive game, Interland, that reinforces internet safety concepts for kids in a fun and engaging way. It's available globally in over 28 countries and 15 languages.