Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) launched the Five Million Ethiopian Coders’ Initiative last week, which will be implemented in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates until 2026. The program targets to train five million Ethiopians in coding through online platforms, PM Abiy disclosed, calling on the youth to properly use the chance, which is open to all citizens. The Five Million Coders program is part of Ethiopia’s efforts to realize digital transformation by developing skilled human resources in the digital sector. It targets cultivating the talents of the younger generation in computer programming and related skills.
Ethiopia is undertaking various measures and initiatives to transform digital technology. Especially, the Digital Ethiopia 2025 Strategy targets realizing the digital transformation of Ethiopia by 2025. As part of the initiative, in addition to reforming policies and strategies in the digital sector, promoting private sector participation in the sector, creating a conducive environment for digital transformation, and developing the digital infrastructure, Ethiopia focuses on equipping its generation with the coding program.
Coding is a computer language that helps users use their mobile or computer laptops properly or to communicate with electronic devices. Traditionally, knowledge of coding or computer language was limited to computer science professionals. However, these days, with the expansion of electronic devices and internet access, coding is becoming fundamental for all, especially for the youth generation, as business activities and the economy are digitalizing.
Considering the role of coding in developing digital technology and in creating job opportunities for the youth generation, Ethiopia launched the five million coders’ initiative, which is a huge move for Ethiopia to train its growing youth generation in the rising field of digital technology. The initiative, according to PM Abiy, is a joint initiative with United Arab Emirates (UAE) to be applied for the coming three years where it targets providing coding training for five million Ethiopians.
Understands the role of coding in developing digitalization and digital economy, Ethiopia gives due focus to train its youth generation in the field. This new initiative opens a new chance for Ethiopians who are interested to train in the field. During the launching program of the initiative at the Science Museum, Prime Minister Abiy (PhD) said “despite it seems something new today, coding will become something normal practice shortly. Today, it may be difficult for us; however, it will become something easy and normal tomorrow. Hence, we have to prepare for it by training our youth generation to equip them early. We have to invest today so that our children would not become new to coding. We have to cultivate our children early so as to equip them in coding for their future endeavors.”
According to PM Abiy, coding will become crucial in the digital technology and digital economy. Hence, to exploit the economic potential of digital technology, it is critical to develop at least basic knowledge in coding. Hence, Ethiopia’s five million coders’ initiative aims to equip youths the basic knowledge and skills of coding by providing trainings online. By trained the youth generation to develop coding skills, it means certifying the youths to find international job opportunities and also to equip them to create companies using the digital sector, according to the premier.
According to the premier, anyone from all corners of the country is invited to register for the online coding training. He calls all Ethiopian youths to use this open opportunity to develop their knowledge in the coding sector. As to the premier, the main goal of the five million coders’ initiative is to make the youth generation active participant in the digital economy and digital transformation in Ethiopia.
For his part, Minister of Innovation and Technology, Belete Molla (PhD) said that the Ethio Coders Program is an initiative applying to realize Ethiopia’s digital transformation. The initiative will help to train five million Ethiopians through online means and the ministry will work eagerly to achieve the target in the coming three years, Belete added. As to Belete, Ethiopia is investing its maximum efforts to become a competitive country in the digital technology, and it started the journey already.
Speaking to local media, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Innovation and Technology, Abiyot Bayu (PhD) stated that coding is a computer language that helps people to properly use or communicate with their electronic devices. As to him, in the past, coding demands professional knowledge in computer science where it was left for computer science experts. However, today with the expansion of internet and electronic devices, coding becomes an easy task where everyone should have developed the knowledge to for the day-to-day tasks in the digitalized world.
According to Abiyot, applications we are using in our mobile phones, laptop computers and other electronic devices are products of coding. Before becoming applications, all applications were developed as coding and translated into functional applications. This indicated that coding is a crucial skill in today’s digital era. So, in today’s digital world, coding is becoming a fundamental skill especially for the youth generation. Hence, according to Abiyot, by developing coding knowledge, developing new business ideas using the digital technology is becoming a new trend in the world.
“Now a day, digital technology touches every sector. Developing coding knowledge helps to exploit the potential opportunities of digital technology,” Abiyot said, adding that Ethiopia’s five million coders’ initiative targets alerting the youth generation to develop knowledge of coding and to exploit the potential opportunities of the sector for business activities. Not only that, but he also said that coding is the future language as technology becomes more sophisticated.
Now, the chance is open for all Ethiopians to get the training through online means. As to Abiyot, over 60,000 Ethiopians are working with international companies without traveling abroad as they develop coding knowledge. For Abiyot, during the past four years, the number of Ethiopian youths joining the coding field is rising.
Through the five million Ethiopian coders’ initiative, Ethiopia aims providing coding training for millions. It targets providing basic coding skills. And as to Abiyot, the training will be provided jointly with internationally accepted institutions. It targets international knowledge and certification.
The main courses of the training are, fundamentals of programing, android development, data science, AI programing which are key skills to develop coding skill, according to the advisor. Achieving the target goal within the set time frame will benefit the youth generation and Ethiopia at large. Similarly, it attracts FDI and helps the country to build digital army to protect its digital infrastructure. Hence, the youth generation and families should give due attention for this opportunity.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 2 AUGUST 2024
