The integration of digital tools in education has significantly altered teaching practices worldwide, including in Tanzania. This study examines the digital citizenship competencies among tablet-using in-service teachers in public secondary schools in Kigoma Municipal, Tanzania. Digital citizenship encompasses skills such as digital information literacy, online safety and privacy protection, digital communication and etiquette, and understanding digital rights and responsibilities. The study aims to identify variations in these competencies based on teachers education levels and teaching experience. Utilizing a questionnaire survey, data were collected from 347 teachers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The results reveal significant disparities in digital citizenship skills across education levels, with masters degree holders consistently outperforming bachelors degree and diploma holders. Teaching experience also plays a role, with teachers having less than 10 years of experience showing higher digital literacy than those with over 21 years. However, no significant difference was found between teachers with 11–20 years of experience and those with fewer than 10 years in several domains. The study highlights the importance of formal education and continuous professional development in improving digital competencies among educators. In particular, veteran teachers (digital immigrants) demonstrate a need for targeted interventions to bridge the gap in digital skills with younger, more digitally savvy teachers (digital natives). The findings underscore the need for ongoing teacher training to ensure safe, effective, and ethical use of technology in Tanzanian schools.

Digital citizenship

Digital information literacy

Online safety and privacy protection

Digital communication and etiquette