Digital Literacy in Bhutan

Digital literacy in Bhutan is both an aspiration and a pressing challenge. The country's Digital Drukyul flagship programme envisions an inclusive digital society in which citizens from remote mountain villages to the capital have equal access to information and government services. Yet the 2024 National Education Assessment conducted by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Skills Development found that substantial proportions of students and adults still lack foundational digital competencies. Youth literacy in reading and mathematics has improved substantially—the youth literacy rate reached 98 percent in 2022—but digital literacy encompasses different skills, and access to devices, reliable connectivity, and meaningful digital content remains uneven across the country.

Government Initiatives and Policy

Bhutan's digital literacy agenda is coordinated across several ministries and agencies. The Government Technology Agency published the Digital Strategy: Intelligent Bhutan in May 2024, articulating a vision of digital public services, smart governance, and a digitally empowered citizenry. A key target embedded in this strategy is equipping over 400,000 citizens with certified digital skills by 2029 through targeted training programmes linked to globally recognised qualifications.

In July 2025, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, the European Union, and UNICEF jointly launched Bhutan's Education Technology Framework (ETF), funded by the EU with €1 million. The framework maps Bhutan's ICT-in-education trajectory across four stages—Emerging, Applying, Infusing, and Transforming—and sets targets for moving schools from the lower stages toward seamless curriculum integration of digital tools. Priority areas include reliable school connectivity, development of Dzongkha- and Nepali-language digital content, teacher professional development in ICT pedagogy, and cybersecurity awareness for students and staff.

The Digital Drukyul programme, administered by the Gross National Happiness Commission, plans to connect approximately 1,000 schools, hospitals, and government offices with broadband internet. Progress has been steady in urban and peri-urban areas but remains slower in remote gewogs, where last-mile connectivity requires satellite or microwave solutions that are more costly to install and maintain.

Community Access and Inclusion

For communities without home broadband or personal devices, public access points are critical. READ Bhutan operates a network of community library resource centres in underserved areas that provide free computer and internet access alongside collections of physical books and e-learning materials. These centres serve as digital entry points for older adults, women who may have less individual access to smartphones, and communities in the poorest households.

The Bhutanese government has also recognised the gender dimension of digital access. Women and girls in rural areas are less likely than men to own smartphones or to have used the internet, reflecting broader disparities in income, mobility, and confidence with technology. Digital literacy programmes increasingly incorporate gender-sensitive design, targeting women's groups, schools, and community spaces that women are more likely to access.

Remaining Gaps

Despite progress, significant gaps remain. Internet pricing relative to household incomes is high, and many schools cannot afford connectivity beyond structured ICT lessons. Adult digital literacy—particularly among the generation that grew up before internet access became widespread—is a particular concern: a 2023 survey indicated that around 49 percent of adults met a basic digital literacy standard, leaving the majority without essential skills for navigating e-government services, online banking, or remote work opportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated digital adoption globally, also exposed Bhutan's connectivity gaps acutely, with many students unable to access remote learning during school closures. Closing these gaps is a precondition for Bhutan's broader ambitions of economic diversification and a knowledge-based economy.

References

1. "Bhutan and EU Jointly Launch Education Technology Framework to Transform School Learning." UNICEF Bhutan, July 2025.
2. "Digital Strategy: Intelligent Bhutan." Government Technology Agency of Bhutan, May 2024.
3. "Digital Drukyul — Flagship." GNHC Bhutan.
4. "Bhutan's Digital Transformation Journey: Benefits, Issues and Challenges." Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
5. "National Education Assessment 2024." UNICEF Bhutan.