JOBS
The digital literacy program launched by the government has created 149,000 jobs for the youth over the last one year. Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (ICTE) Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo said so far 490,000 youths have been trained adding that the program was set to address the rising unemployment in the country.
The government, he said, targets to scale up the training to reach two million youths annually to ensure that they have the requisite skills and knowledge to secure jobs online. To make the initiative a success, the ministry of ICTE, he said has embarked in the establishment of digital hubs across the country to ensure that as many youths as possible have access to the training.
“We are going to set up digital hubs in all the wards across the country to enhance access to the free digital skills training program,” he said. One digital hub, he said will train up to 1,500 youths per annually.
The CS said the government was also scaling up Internet connectivity to ensure that the hubs are connected. 25,000 markets, he added are earmarked for Internet connection and public WiFi to enhance access to online jobs and trade.The program, he said also targets schools, health facilities, police stations and homes.
Speaking during the Vision 2030 Medium Term IV dissemination meeting in Kisumu, CD said the government targets to lay 100,000 km fibre optic cable to scale up internet connectivity. To achieve the target, the CS disclosed that the ministry has signed a contract with Kenya Power to lay the fibre optic cable on the firm’s poles.
The shift from the traditional laying of the cable underground, he said was set to lower the costs involved and at the same time reduce the time spent to fix the cable. “We are currently spending about Sh2.3 million to lay 1km of fibre optic cable but through the arrangement with Kenya Power this is set to come down to Sh300,000,” he said.
The target, he said is to have high speed Internet at all corners to the country where Kenya Power has presence to scale up uptake of government services online and create jobs for the youth. “Our target is to have the cable running on all Kenya Power lines. Anywhere we have a power line we will also have the fibre optic cable. This will scale up connectivity across the country up to people’s homes,” he said.
The CS urged the youth to take advantage of the free training to acquire digital skills.