Obama pushes plan for fast Internet in US schools

President Barack Obama says he wants 99 percent of American students connected to super-fast Internet within five years. He's directing federal regulators to use an existing program to equip schools with broadband Internet.

Obama says the rest of the world is trying to out-educate the U.S. He says the nation must give all students the tools needed to go as far as their hard work and ambition will take them.

He says right now, 20 percent of U.S. students are connected to high-speed Internet, compared with 100 percent of students in South Korea.

Obama says the best news is that the program doesn't require approval from Congress, so he can get started right away.

Obama spoke at a North Carolina middle school where students are provided laptops for digital learning.