Include digital literacy in school curriculum: PM Dahal

Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Security Council, Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said it is necessary to include digital literacy issues in school curriculum in view of growing use of IT and national needs.

Addressing an interaction on 'modern IT and its impact on national security' organized by the National Security Council in Singh Durbar on Friday, he pointed out the need of adequate precaution to avoid risks caused by misuse of technology. Technology friendly education is must for digital literacy at all basic levels, the PM stressed.

The issues as making one's life technology friendly, which technology is suitable for country and society, what is basic information and knowledge about these and how to select right technology are significant topics to whet knowledge.

"In absence of sufficient knowledge on cyber technology, we can not cope with its benefits and risks," he said, adding that, "So, digital literacy can be included in the school curriculums." At a time when the IT has been integral to our daily life, modernization, globalization and expansion of computer networking has posed concern on national security.

According to him, national security is linked to internal security, law and order, peace, and even the border security. The State-centered security has now shifted towards people-centered security, the PM observed, emphasizing the national information and public security along with political freedom and territorial integrity.

Stating that the protection of national data and personal privacy had been turning complex due to rising cases of cyber attacks and cybercrime, the Prime Minister said the situation had also led to additional challenges in sensitive issues like national security and crime.

Information leakage including that of national and strategic importance via the use of digital technology, hacking and the cyber attack on the nation's entire computer software are emerging challenges in view of national security, according to him.

He was of the opinion of increasing people's access to the national and international IT development and its uses. The PM insisted on taking preventive measures against possible threats of cyber security and containing the cybercrime by upgrading the scale of cyber security.

Provisions are in place for testing the government information system via the Department of Information Technology, the Prime Minister said, "All the government agencies are required to build websites and applications as per the given criteria."

"The reports about the disruptions of government websites causing inconvenience has drawn the government's attention," he said, adding that such disruption would play a role in eroding people's trust on government service delivery system and incurring financial loss to the nation.

 The head of the government took time to say that the government was committed to coming with the Cyber Security Policy soon. "We are also preparing to present the IT-related bill in the parliament."

The deficit of awareness about cyber security among the mass has also led to increasing threats to personal data privacy in the digital space, according to the Prime Minister who sees the need of launching an awareness campaign within from the civic circle for cyber security. "The government is ready to provide necessary support and cooperation towards that end," he vowed.

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