The Partnership

In a significant stride towards bolstering cyber resilience, the US Department of State and CISA commissioned Cyberlite to spearhead an educational initiative across South Asian countries. This project, aimed at students aged 7-18 and educators, forms a crucial part of the cyber capacity-building efforts in the region. As K12 curriculum developers and implementation partners, Cyberlite's mission was to enrich the digital safety knowledge and practices among these groups.

Understanding Before Designing

A programme spanning five countries can't be built on assumptions. Before developing any content, we conducted in-depth interviews with educators at every participating school, mapping students' existing cyber awareness, the digital challenges they face, and how online safety fits (or doesn't) within local curricula. This landscape research revealed significant variation: some schools had basic digital literacy programmes but no safety component; others had neither. The findings didn't just inform our content – they shaped the entire programme architecture, ensuring we addressed real gaps rather than delivering a generic curriculum that might miss the mark.

Localised Curriculum, Consistent Framework

Using our Internet Independent Framework as the pedagogical backbone, we developed workshop content tailored to two age bands: junior students (primary) and senior students (secondary). But localisation went beyond age-appropriateness. Each country's materials incorporated region-specific case studies, locally relevant platform examples, and culturally resonant scenarios. A cyberbullying example that lands in Bangalore may not resonate in Thimphu; a privacy scenario relevant to Dhaka may need reframing for Malé. This level of adaptation takes time, but it's the difference between content that's delivered and content that's absorbed.

Delivery Across Six Cities

Our senior trainers delivered workshops in person across six cities in South Asia, reaching over 2,300 students.

1. Malé, Maldives

2. Thimphu, Bhutan

3. Kathmandu, Nepal

4. Mumbai, India

5. Bangalore, India

6. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Measuring What Matters

Impact doesn't end when a workshop finishes. We conducted post-programme surveys with every participating school, gathering structured feedback on student engagement, knowledge retention, and behavioural intent. This evaluation data served two purposes: validating the programme's effectiveness for our government partners, and identifying where curriculum refinements could strengthen future iterations. Cyber capacity building isn't a one-and-done exercise; it requires evidence loops that inform continuous improvement.

What Schools Said

“The cybersecurity session had a positive impact on students, raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and equipping them with practical knowledge to better protect themselves online. It inspired attendees to take proactive measures to safeguard their digital presence and become more responsible digital citizens.” - Christel House Bangalore, India

“The workshop proved to be highly resourceful and beneficial to students. The session was interactive and students got to know several ways to keep themselves safe and protect themselves while using the Internet.” - Ahmadhiyya International School, Maldives

“I would like to greatly appreciate the representatives of Cyberlite to bring such an important and crucial programme for our children which is absolutely appropriate at these times when it is being over used without taking any safety measures.” - Sunnydale Middle School, Bangladesh

What This Demonstrates

This programme illustrates what end-to-end cyber capacity building looks like at scale: not just content development, but research, localisation, coordination, delivery, and evaluation across multiple countries and education systems. It required navigating different curricula, cultural contexts, and infrastructure realities, while maintaining a consistent pedagogical approach grounded in our Internet Independent Framework.

For government and multilateral partners considering regional cyber education initiatives, this project offers a model for how to move from policy intent to classroom impact.