Govt steps up efforts to address digital skills gap in the country

By Anisha Hungwe

The Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Courier and postal services is working towards decentralising digital skills in the country.

Addressing attendants at the National Cyber Security Strategy Meeting at the National University of Science and Technology on Friday, the Minister of ICT Honorable Tendai Mavetera said that it is important for people even in remote parts of the country to be computer literate.

“We are planning on digital skills training that will see us as the ministry decentralising the issue of digital skills. We will do this by making sure that even those in rural areas are not left behind in the implementation of these training programs.

As the ministry, we will dispatch digital skills trainers in rural areas to teach people. This will help us to reach what we want to achieve, by leaving no one behind, ” said Minister Mavetera.

A survey by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstat) showed that only 24.6% of people in rural areas are computer literature. This figure consists mostly of young people. Through innovatives like Mobile Digital Skills Training, Digital Skills Ambassadors, and Digital Centers, the programs seek to educate people of all ages in digital skills in different communities of the country.

“We are currently working with the police to look into cyber related crimes like bullying usually on WhatsApp. We have noticed an increase in such crime, and as you know that cyber bullying can lead to people being mentally unwell because of the stress that comes with it. So, we are actively putting policies in place to deal with such issues, ” added Mavetera.

The National Cyber Security Strategy Meeting was part of the ministry’s plan to raise awareness on the importance of cyber security in the country.