Digital poverty phenomenon among B40 school students in Kedah, Malaysia

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the essential role of information and communication technology (ICT) in education as students shifted to home-based learning from classroom learning in school. However, this transition also exposed significant disparities in ICT access, amplifying digital poverty among disadvantaged groups, particularly B40 households in rural Malaysia. This study examines digital poverty among B40 school students in Kedah focusing in three rural districts by exploring its categories, contributing digital poverty factors among the school students, and students’ perceptions of technology in online learning. A qualitative research design was adopted, involving structured interviews with 55 students from rural schools in Baling, Sik, and Pulau Tuba, Langkawi. The findings indicated that digital poverty among B40 students is driven by limited access to digital tools, unreliable internet connectivity, low ICT literacy, and economic challenges especially within financial problems. These barriers hinder students’ learning experiences, emphasizing the stark disparities in ICT adoption between rural and urban regions. While online learning holds a significant potential, students' perceptions of its effectiveness remain moderate, largely due to inadequate infrastructure and insufficient preparation. The study underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to combat digital poverty issues including enhancing the school ICT infrastructure, providing affordable digital tools for students, and fostering digital literacy among the students. These initiatives are crucial for ensuring equitable access to education and supporting Malaysia’s progress towards becoming a digitally inclusive society. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and digital stakeholders in developing strategies to bridge the digital poverty, particularly for vulnerable student populations.