In the post-pandemic era, digital literacy has become a fundamental requirement for educational success. This paper assesses the current level of digital proficiency among secondary school students in rural areas. It focuses on the disparity between urban and rural access to digital tools and the subsequent impact on academic performance.

Furthermore, the research emphasizes that providing hardware is not enough; a comprehensive curriculum update is needed to teach critical digital skills. The study provides a roadmap for educational boards to integrate digital citizenship and online safety into the standard curriculum to bridge the digital divide.