The government has embarked on training youth countrywide to be Information Communication and Technology (ICT) compliant to equip them to face the ever changing labour market.
The Principal Secretary State Department for Youth Affairs (PS), Julius Korir said the government had established 61 youth empowerment centres and will refurbish 70 others in the country to enable the youth not only access computers but at the same time have internet available at those centres.
The PS said youth empowerment centres in collaboration with Constituency Innovation Hubs will provide the rural youth access to the world similar to their urban counterparts.
“Information access and ICT in general has today been widely accepted and applied in almost all aspects of our lives and it’s a centre piece for global sustainable development as one of the key drivers of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” he pointed out.
The PS said government services have been made easier through technology and added this has made processes more effective and efficient.
He said ICT had made many programmes and projects started by the government easily accessible and reduced costs hence improving the lives of the citizens.
Korir said that the government through the state Department for Youth Affairs, ICT Kenya and the Department of Adult Education had embarked on empowering youth to have ICT skills to meet the challenges of the ever-changing world.
“We hope the centres created by the government across the country, including Ajira digital platform will be home for innovation, incubation and other online activities that will be of economic benefit to the nation,” Korir said.
The PS was speaking at Bomet University College play ground on Friday during the graduation of 1,450 youth who had undergone six weeks training in ICT skills undertaken in the five sub-counties of Bomet, Konoin, Sotik, Bomet Central, Bomet East and Chepalungu.
“We also urge the youth, besides training to also utilize the devolved funds such as Uwezo Fund, Youth Enterprise Development Fund among others to start businesses as those in the rural areas were left behind due to lack of information and ICT skills,” the PS said.
The ICT skills training programme is going on across the country targeting over 100,000 youth to enable them earn a living using ICT and is sponsored by ICT Kenya under the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Development, Department of Adult Education, Ministry of ICT, Innovations and Youth Affairs and implemented by Mt. Kenya University.
By Joseph Obwocha
