The Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MInT) recently presented its 2023/24 budget year annual plan and the first quarter of the year’s performance report to the House of Peoples Representatives (HPR) Human Resource Development, Employment and Technology Affairs Standing Committee.
Presenting the annual plan and the performance report, Minister of MInT Belete Molla (PhD) said that national science, innovation and technology development, infrastructural development, digital economy and service digitalization and the creation of enabling legislation are the four basic programs of the ministry during this budget year. As to him, these four basic programs are part of the institution’s three-year strategic development plan in the science, technology and innovation sector, which is planned to be implemented in the coming three years.
During the discussion with members of the HPR standing committee, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MoIT) and institutions accountable to it briefed their activities and plans. The institutions stated that they are striving for the development of scientific research, technological development and innovations. In addition, the Ministry reiterated that it is working to realize the Digital Ethiopia Strategy 2025 through introducing modern technological services and expanding infrastructural networking that can accelerate digital development and inclusion in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Belete said that efforts are underway to create a suitable environment at the national level for the science, technology and innovation sectors to make the sector the backbone of Ethiopia’s development endeavors. The four programs are set to be achieved by the ministry during its three-year strategic plan to be implemented starting in this budget year.
Human Resource Development, Employment and Technology Affairs Standing Committee of the House of Peoples Representatives (HPR) Chairman, Negri Lencho (PhD) during the occasion recommends the Ministry to give serious attention to human resource development in the technology sector. Training of talented youths at home and abroad, making the technology sector among the top job creating sectors, awareness raising, e-service expansion, conducting meaningful researches, skilled human power gaps bridging should get serious attention in the next activities of the ministry to make technology among the key sectors in Ethiopia.
Negeri underlined that in today’s world, the development of the technology sector is becoming unpredictable. As to him, not only to sustain development initiatives and realizing prosperity, investing in technology is becoming a matter of survival for countries in the today’s competitive world.
According to the chairperson, realizing technology transfer and advancing the local technological development is unthinkable without continuous human resource development in the sector. Development of innovations, researches, technology transfer and other technological developments need capable and well-trained professional citizens. “It is critically high time for Ethiopia to invest in empowering professionals in the technology sector and to invite youths to join the sector,” he stated.
“As we are experiencing, the inventions and innovations in the technology sector are making the sector more sophisticated and as a nation we are remaining behind in this regard. We have to go parallel with the technological advancements of the world so as to keep our development in tempo and even to keep our country’s national interests,” he stated. As to him, without capable and trained professionals in the sector and increasing the number of trained and equipped professionals with the latest technological innovations, it is tough to manage the technology and to maximize the benefits from the advanced technologies. “The current technologies needs well trained scholars and researchers,” he underlined.
Understanding the level of the technological development of the current world, he recommends the Ministry and the sectors under it to give due focus for meaningful human resource development. “Technology transfer and local technological innovation is impossible unless we create an opportunity for the younger generation to get the chance to join the well-known international technological institutions to develop their capacity.”
Started by asking the activities being undertaking by the Ministry in expanding professional trainings at home and abroad targeting different areas of specializations in the technology sector, Negeri stated that successful technological transfer is unthinkable without trained human resource. “If we want to realize the strategies we are dreaming in the technology sector, it is critical to invest in building the capacity of professionals in the sector and to create a platform for youths to join international technology institutions to study different technology fields.”
The chairman noted that it is important to think beyond business as usual activities in the technology sector and recommends going further. Parallel to developing the capacity of higher education institutions and technical and vocational training centers at home, he recommends creating a national platform for talented students to provide opportunity to join international well-known technology institutes.
“I know, there are Ethiopian students and professionals taking trainings within the well-known international technology institutions and universities by their own efforts or by the ministry of Education,” Negeri stated adding “but, I am asking the activities and efforts of the Ministry in expanding this initiative which would help for Ethiopia to exploit well the potential and advantages of the sector with its own professional innovators and researchers,” he stated.
Giving an opportunity for young Ethiopians to get practical education in the top technology universities of the world has got a new attention with the available resources. “I am not talking about short term or usual trainings; I am talking about education for young and talented Ethiopians given scholarships to join top higher education institutions of the world to equip them with the technology of the time.”
The chairman also raised the necessity to give due attention for technological researches at home. For Negeri, investing in technological researches would promote innovations, inventions, to modify available ones and to wisely manage technology and its impacts.
During the day, Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MInT) reported that so far the technology sector has created over 200 thousand opportunities nationwide. Appreciating and praising the job opportunities created by the sector, Negeri still recommends exploiting the sector’s potential to create more job opportunities.
The job opportunity in the technology sector so far is not matched with the available potential of the sector. “We didn’t create enough job opportunity in the sector as expected,” Negeri stated adding that “if we create enough jobs in the sector, we can develop the experience to invent and innovate new technological products.”
There is high demand of technology at home and the technology we are using is imported, Negeri recommended focusing on technology import-substitution through promoting local technological productions and innovations. “That will be realistic only if we trained professionals by creating more and more job opportunities” Negeri stated. The chairperson reiterated that investing in training of youths; promoting investors in the technology sector and awareness creation in technology have to go parallel so as to promote the development of the sector.
Ngeri also recommends Ministry’s vibrancy towards creating strong connections with schools from primary to higher education institutions so as to find talented professionals in the science, innovation and technology sectors. “We have to cultivate talented and gifted youths early. The capability and the talent is there, we have to find the professionals by working with schools.”
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2023
