Digital Essentials
Digital Essentials is Digital Equity's flagship programme. It is a 12-week digital literacy curriculum delivered in vernacular language, in government high schools, by undergradutate college students from the same communities as the students they teach.
HOW WE WORK
DE Core Team
District Program Manager
District Program Manager
District Program Manager
School POC
DE Facilitator
High School Student
School POC
DE Facilitator
High School Student
WHAT WE TEACH
Our curriculum is device agnostic and can be learnt on already accessible smartphones. Computer labs aren't a necessity.
Learning Tools
Google Translate, Google Lens, Google Maps aimed at removing language and information barriers.
AI-Assisted Research
Using Gemini AI to find, organise, and critically evaluate
information.
Email and Communication
Professional email setup, CC/BCC, etiquette; for
employment and government correspondence.
Cyber Safety
Identity theft, online threats, password hygiene, safe
digital behaviour, scam awareness.
ICT Skills
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides. Students create and present
a final project in the last session.
Fighting Misinformation
Evaluating sources, identifying false content, responsible sharing- including verifying WhatsApp forwards.
Students who complete the programme can find and verify information independently, use government services without an intermediary, protect themselves from online fraud and communicate professionally. Many go on to teach someone at home, a parent, a sibling, a neighbour.