Cheruiyot Korir                                                                September 30^th 2019

Information, Communications and Technology Principal Secretary Jerome Ochieng has challenged parents to encourage their children embrace online jobs.

Speaking during the launch of Rongo Constituency Innovation Hubs (CIH) Mr Ochieng said, parents play an important role in determining the future career of their children, an opportunity he maintained the parents should use to encourage their children to take up online work.

Ochieng noted that, parents and guardians should create a conducive atmosphere at home so that children are introduced to ICT skills at their early stages.

He said the government has heavily invested in ICT infrastructure which calls for parents support so that the younth find their opportunities through programs such as the  Ajira Digital Program which has already placed more than 600,000 youths on active online jobs.

ICT PS said the government ambitious big four Agenda of Manufacturing, Food Security and Nutrition, Universal Health Coverage and Affordable Housing will be achieved easily if the country  has adequate pool of  youth with ICT skills to drive the digital economy.

The PS said, Kenya is at the center of world advanced global online jobs that has the advantage of stable ICT infrastructure and a big pool of young people with ICT skills. He added that the country is also advantaged because of it is an English speaking nation which is one of the world widely spoken languages.

In order to put more youths on ICT skills, the PS said the government is aggressively supporting the establishment of constituency innovation hubs which will give equal opportunities to rural and urban youths.

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, wife of the former Prime Minister, Mr raila Odinga, Mrs. Ida Odinga challenged the youths in Rongo to take advantage of  the opportunity and sharpen their ICT skills at already sponsored tech centres.

Mrs. Odinga said technology has changed the world and asked  young people to embrace ICTs with seriousness since the future lies there.

Odinga however, challenged stakeholders to ensure the four launched ICT centres are active and working so that more youths are empowered.

Four CIH were launched in Rongo constituency. The hubs are located in Nyarach, East Kamagambo, Tuk-Jowi and Chamgi Wadu