By John Majau
The Meru National Polytechnic has become the first institution in Meru County to benefit from the Jitume Digital Skills Lab programme.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu opened the lab with 100 computers to enable students gain digital skills to work remotely while earning money through online jobs in the Diaspora.
The institution Principal Mutembei Kigige hailed the CS for giving priority to the institution saying access to online jobs is a vital solution to the high demand for jobs among Kenyan youth.
Machogu said the government intends to establish such labs in 300 institutions within the country noting that 30 labs have already been launched.
“At Kabete, we have testimonies of youth who can now earn up to 40 dollars in a day. These labs are exposing our youth to the world job market. It is a way to earn revenue exchange and employment in this digital economy,” he said.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Principal Secretary Dr. Esther Muoria urged the youth to take advantage of the facilities and acquire the training to earn a living and uplift their lives.
Other dignitaries in attendance included North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood and ICT Permanent Secretary John Tarus
Jitume is a Government initiative aimed at providing access to digital skills, e-services and online opportunities to the youth across the country.
The programme 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 programme, youth from all the 47 counties will undertake on the job training with pathways for digitally enabled jobs.
Additionally, the students will benefit from various online courses and receive certification upon completion.
In December 2022, the President 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.
