Encourage online jobs, ICT PS tells parents

Information, Communications and Technology Principal Secretary Jerome Ochieng Friday challenged parents to encourage their children to embrace online jobs.
The PS who was speaking during the official opening of Rongo Constituency Creative and Innovation hubs said parents play an important role in determining the future careers of their children an opportunity he maintained should be used to encourage online work.
Ochieng stressed that parents and guardians should create a conducive atmosphere at home so that children beginning from an early stage are introduced to ICT skills which will become more relevant while determining their careers.
He said the government has heavily invested in ICT infrastructure which calls for parents’ support so that the young generation can find opportunities through programs like Ajira which has already placed more than 600,000 youths on active online jobs.
The PS said the government’s ambitious big four agenda of Manufacturing, Food Security and Nutrition, Universal Health Coverage and Affordable Housing will be achieved easily if more of the youth attain ICT skills adding that all government services will soon be digitized.
In order to put more youths on ICT skills, the PS said the government is aggressively supporting constituency creative and innovation hubs which will give equal opportunities to rural and urban youths.
Ochieng said Rongo is the first constituency in the country to launch four ICT innovation hubs and thanked the area Member of Parliament Paul Abuor and constituency funds management committee for giving first priority to technology centres that will put more youth on online jobs.
He said the government will continue supporting the running of the launched ICT hubs by providing free Wifi and other forms of technical support.
Addressing the same event, Mama Ida Odinga challenged the youth in Rongo to grab the opportunity and sharpen their ICT skills at already sponsored tech centres.
Mama Ida said technology has changed and will continue changing the world and therefore young people should embrace it with seriousness since the future lies there.
Mrs. Odinga however, challenged stakeholders to ensure the four launched ICT centres are active and working so that more youth are empowered.
Kenya Film Classification Board Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ezekiel Mutua who also attended the function said people world over currently carry most of their activities through digital platforms.
The launched Rongo Creative and Innovation Hubs are situated in Nyarach, East Kamagambo, Tuk-Jowi and Chamgi Wadu.
By Geoffrey Satia/Effy Awuor