By John Majau
The Meru National Polytechnic has become the first institution in Meru County to benefit from the Jitume Konza digital skills lab.
Jitume is a Government initiative aimed at providing access to digital skills, e-services and online opportunities to the youth across the country.
Education Cabinet Secretary, Ezekiel Machogu, opened the lab with 100 computers that will enable learners gain skills to work remotely while earning money through online jobs in the diaspora world.
The institution’s principal, Mutembei Kigige, hailed the CS for giving priority to the institution saying access to online jobs is vital solution to high demand for jobs to Kenyan youths.
Machogu, who was accompanied by North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood, ICT PS John Tarus and higher education PS Beatrice Inyangala said the government intends to establish such labs in 300 institutions within the Country noting that 30 labs have already been opened.
“At Kabete, we have testimonies of youths who can now earn up to 40dollars in a day. These labs are exposing our youths to the World job market. It is a way to earn revenue exchange and employment in this digital economy,” Machogu said.
Principal Secretary, Technical Vocational Training Institutes (TVETs) under the Ministry of Education Dr. Esther Mworia, urged youths to take advantage of the facilities and get the training to earn a living and uplift their lives.
The program is being implemented by the Ministry of ICT and the Digital Economy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and Ministry of Labour led by Konza Technopolis, ICT Authority and TVET Authority.
Through the program, youth from all the 47 counties will undertake the job training with pathways for digitally enabled jobs.
Additionally, the students will benefit from various courses online and receive certification upon completion.
In December 2022, President William Ruto conceived the Jitume programme with the aim of complementing and building on the successes made by the existing Digital Enablement Programmes such as Ajira Digital & the Kenya Youth Employment Programme.
