The Kenyan government in partnership with the private sector, has introduced a new internship programme that is aimed at improving efficiency and service delivery in the public service through training graduates on ICT leadership skills.
The programme dubbed Presidential Digital Talent Programme (PDTP), will see the government build ICT capacity through training graduates across the country in an internship to develop their skills.
Expected to achieve an ICT talent pool, the new initiative by the government will train about 100 interns every one year to be spread out in four quarters.
This comes at a time when the country is working towards achieving digital inclusion for all, by implementing ICT solutions in all operations by investing in ICT since it is the core sector overseeing development in other major sectors in the country.
Commenting on the new program, President Kenyatta said the initiative was well timed for the Kenyan youths as it would help build capacity to participate fully in building the nation.
The government is looking to technologies to improve security across the country, with a national surveillance tender being awarded to telecommunications provider Safaricom that will see the telecom set up security surveillance systems in Nairobi and Mombasa.
President Kenyatta said, “The public service of the future will require innovative use of ICT skills for efficiency in service delivery.
The programme was established to aid the government in achieving efficiency in its operations to promote growth in the country’s economy and also create more jobs, and at the same time achieve private sector collaboration in boosting ICT use for development.
Currently, through the Communications Authority (CA) of Kenya, the government is carrying out a sensitization programme across the country to educate the public on the growing technology advancements including Cloud, Mobile and Social technologies.
The programme, dubbed Kikao Kikuu, held its third edition in the city of Mombasa yesterday (November 27), with plans to tour other regions to educate more Kenyans.
