Sri Lankans more digitally literate than computer-literate

• Western Province has the highest computer literacy rate
• Urban sector shows the highest usage of both e-mail and internet
• Youth 15 to 19 years show the highest computer literacy rate

By Huzefa  Aliasger

Sri Lankans are more digitally literate than computer–literate, according to a recent survey by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS).   

The Department said the computer literacy rate remained shockingly low at 36.4 per cent of the population in the first half of 2024 which has decreased during the same period in 2023 with 39.5 per cent.   

However, the digital literacy rate is 64.3 per cent.   

Digital literacy is the ability to use and understand tablets or smartphones, while according to the DCS the criteria given for computer literacy is “A person is considered a computer literate person if he or she can use a computer on his or her own. For example, even if a five-year-old child can play a computer game, then he or she is considered a computer-literate person.”   

The reason for the gap between digital and computer literacy, given in the survey, is “the current patterns indicating a drift from Personal Computer to Smartphones/Tablets.”   

According to the survey, 53.6 per cent of the population aged 5 to 69 years uses the internet facility at least once during the twelve months in 2024. The survey results further reveal that in the urban sector, where the facilities are largely available, shows the highest usage of both e-mail and internet compared to the other two sectors.   

The results show that Western Province has the highest computer literacy rate of 45.8 per cent, and Sabaragamuwa Province has the lowest at 36.3 per cent. The percentage of the population that has a laptop or desktop at their homes in Sri Lanka is 19.5 per cent of the population.   

The survey results further reveal that higher the level of education, higher the computer literacy. The group with the A/L or above level of education shows the highest computer literacy rate (76.2 per cent). Also, computer literacy is higher among those who are literate in the English language (74.9 per cent).   

Computer literacy among males (38.0 per cent) is higher than that of females (34.9 per cent) in 2024. Youth aged 15 to 19 years show the highest computer literacy rate (75.6 per cent) among all other age groups.