Digital Readiness and Computer Education Quality in Private Secondary Schools: Evidence from Karachi

Abstract

This study assesses perceived digital readiness and the quality of computer education in selected private secondary schools in Karachi District South. The source survey included 150 respondents: 120 students and 30 computer teachers. Separate 15-item questionnaires were piloted with 20 students and 10 teachers before administration. Because the surviving dataset contains only aggregate response classifications rather than item-level scores, the analysis is descriptive and does not test causal effects on academic performance. Among students, 16 responses (13.33%) were classified as favourable, 86 (71.67%) as unfavourable, and 18 (15.00%) as non-responses. Among teachers, 5 responses (16.67%) were favourable, 23 (76.67%) unfavourable, and 2 (6.67%) non-responses. Overall, 72.67% of the sample was classified as unfavourable, indicating widespread concern about the adequacy of computer-education provision. The source narrative identifies limited laboratory access, outdated equipment, weak connectivity, insufficient maintenance, excessive emphasis on theory, and inadequate professional development as recurring concerns; however, the absence of item-level data prevents independent estimation of their individual prevalence. The paper argues that digital readiness requires coordinated investment in infrastructure, teacher competence, curriculum, technical support, governance, and equitable student access rather than the purchase of devices alone.