With the start of the new 2026–2027 school year, cybersecurity will be incorporated for the first time into the curricula of pre-university education for students in Grades I, VI and X. Three approved national curriculum modules have been developed by the National Cyber Security Authority (AKSK), in cooperation with the Agency for Quality Assurance of Pre-University Education and the Ministry of Education.
AKSK has contributed its professional expertise to the development of these modules, with the aim of ensuring that online safety education does not remain limited to awareness campaigns or individual activities, but becomes a sustainable part of the education system.
Why is online safety education needed?
Children are among the most active users of technology and the internet. Alongside opportunities to learn, communicate and develop new skills, they may also face cyberbullying, online scams, dangerous contacts, inappropriate content, data theft and identity misuse.
For this reason, protecting children online should begin before a problem occurs. Students need practical knowledge and skills that help them use technology in a safe, responsible and informed manner.
A programme tailored to students’ age
The content has been designed as a progressive learning journey. In Grade I, students are introduced to digital devices and learn to distinguish between safe and unsafe situations, protect their personal information, and seek help from a trusted adult when something concerns them. Through role-playing, simulated situations, drawings and activities focused on screen time, they develop their first rules for safe and ethical online behaviour.
In Grade VI, the topics are more directly related to the ways children of this age use social media, communication applications and online games. Students explore identity and digital footprints, cyberbullying, privacy and online scams. They analyse examples of phishing through emails, SMS messages, phone calls and fake websites, practise verifying sources before clicking, and learn about using strong passwords, blocking, preserving evidence and reporting.
In Grade X, cybersecurity is addressed more broadly through the concept of digital citizenship. In addition to protecting accounts, devices and data, students explore online reputation, cyber threats, ethics and rights in the digital environment. They develop skills to verify sources, identify disinformation and manipulated content, understand the impact of algorithms, and respond appropriately to cyber incidents.
Official Curricula
- Online Safety – Grade I: Online Safety – Grade I
- Cybersecurity – Grade VI: Cybersecurity – Grade VI
- Cybersecurity and Digital Citizenship – Grade X: Cybersecurity and Digital Citizenship – Grade X
An approach that will gradually expand
The implementation in Grades I, VI and X represents the first phase of a broader process. In the coming years, the aim is to gradually extend the modules to other grades, establishing continuity in cybersecurity education across different stages of schooling.
The Role of Parents and Teachers
Children’s online safety is a shared responsibility. Schools, families and institutions should encourage open communication so that children feel safe speaking up when they encounter a concerning situation online. The goal is not to keep children away from technology, but to ensure that they use it safely.