- Certifies over 60,000 trainees
ADDIS ABABA – The Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MinT) disclosed that the country is offering coding training to over 390,000 youths across the country.
Approached by the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA), Senior Advisor to the Minister of Innovation and Technology Abiyot Bayou (PhD) stated that as part of the National Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy, Ethiopia has launched the five million Ethiopian coders training initiative with the view of equipping the youth with basic digital technology skills.
Abiyot has also emphasized that this initiative would have a paramount significance for the generation to benefit not only themselves but also the realization of the nation’s digital economy and digital transformation.
“To date, over 390,000 youths are taking training in android application programming and introduction, data science, AI courses,” he stated.
He added that, “Over 60,000 youths have got certification for those who have completed the training.”
To this end, the internet and other digital gadgets need to be fulfilled as they play an indispensable role to realize the country’s leapfrogging digital economy, he remarked.
Moreover, the government has been expanding basic infrastructures to facilitate seamless digitizing payment systems, digital ID processing, and other service delivery systems, law and monitoring mechanisms supporting the digital economic development frameworks over the past few years.
He said, adding that continental and international internet governance forums that the country has been undertaking would be an impetus to build capacities and compete with the contemporary world in technological advancement.
Citing the growing number of internet users exceeding 40 million in the country, he stated that the government has given due attention for infrastructural development thereby extending outreaches in all segments of the societies making use of services via electronic transaction via digital payment systems.
Also, such cross-cutting forums initiate the youth to create an awareness creation the opportunity to develop applications and deploy to the real world.
Moreover, a national committee is established to fairly implement the coders’ initiative nationwide, he added.
It is to be recalled that the country has recently launched a collaborative digital skill initiative with the United Arab Emirates with the 5 Million Coders Initiative aimed at promoting youths digital technology proficiency.
BY ASHENAFI ANIMUT
The Ethiopian Herald December 8/2024
