1,400 youth set to receive ICT training

Kisumu governor Jack Ranguma and his deputy Ruth Odinga during the launch of Transform Kisumu Digital Literacy Programme in partnership with African center for women and Technology on 29 February 2016.  PIC BY COLLINS ODUOR

Over 1,400 Standard Eight dropouts will benefit from a digital literacy programme launched by the County Government of Kisumu in partnership with an NGO.

The African Centre for Women, Information and Communications Technology (ACWICT) Executive Director, Constantine Obuya, said yesterday that the programme would equip the students with skills in exploring the web, information systems, online mapping and coding among others.

“For the first phase, we are targeting 700 students between the ages of 25-35, drawn from all the wards within the seven sub-counties in Kisumu.

We will have about 20 students per ward. Each phase will run for seven weeks,” said Ms Obuya.

She said the second phase of the programme would also target 700 students and would begin immediately after the first one.

“At the end of the training, we will divide the students into groups and they will be expected to develop projects that identify with real life situations,” Obuya said.

Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma said the project would benefit the county as it has a high number of employed youths.

“The programme has come at the right time. Information, communication and technology (ICT) education will help the county in setting up ICT-enabled enterprises,” he said.

Smart City

“Kisumu is set for smart-city development. And this will be possible through development of ICT. As a county government, one of our pillars is to embrace technology,” he said.

Deputy Government Ruth Odinga said the county currently has a shortage of ICT experts.

“I have been looking for an ICT expert for the past two months but I haven’t found one. This just shows how important IT education is,” she said.