Abstract:

Digital literacy has emerged as a foundational competence for participation in contemporary social, economic, and educational life. Yet scholarly and policy debates remain polarized between concerns about children’s online vulnerability and assumptions of widespread digital inclusion. This study interrogates this tension by examining Basic 8 students’ exposure to online content and their understanding of the implications of their digital practices in Ghana. A cross-sectional survey of 854 students drawn from 24 public schools across three districts in the Central Region was conducted. This was complemented with a six-week ethnographic study in three selected schools to experience at first hand how digital and ICT-related content is incorporated in low and resource-constrained settings. The findings reveal a structural paradox: despite the near absence of computers and digital infrastructure in sampled schools, students reported active engagement in online activities, primarily through home-based access and mobile devices. Online use was frequently framed as academically oriented, particularly for supplementary learning. However, household monitoring mechanisms were weak, and students demonstrated uneven awareness of the risks and long-term implications of their online behaviour. The study highlights a form of informal digital participation occurring outside institutional regulation and pedagogical guidance. It therefore argues for the urgent integration of structured digital and media literacy education within Ghana’s basic school curriculum to bridge the gap between access, agency, and protection

Keywords:

Digital literacy, Online Safety and Risk, Basic School Education, Ghana.