IPNEWS: The Government of Liberia says it has officially kicked off the National Digital Skills Training Program across the country.
The National Digital Skills training program which is designed to implement digital awareness, skills training and empowerment programs for Liberians, seeks to provide opportunity to 10,000 young people in various digital competencies in the first half of 2024.
It can be recalled in January of this year, President Joseph Boakai announced during his first State of the Nation address that his administration would empower 10,000 young Liberians through tech-driven opportunities to enhance their digital skills in the first half of 2024.
The participants are currently being trained in Basic Digital Skills, E-Commerce, Digital Marketing, and Digital survey, to succeed in the digital economy and contribute to Liberia’s economic growth.
On Monday, August 12, 2024, the training kicked off across several locations nationwide including Bong, Tapita, Harbel, Grand Kru, Sinoe, Maryland, Gbarpolu, and Montserrado.
The Government of Liberia added that Digital transformation will significantly impact the country by driving economic growth, improving public services, streamlining operations, and fostering innovation.
The initiative initially criticized by members of the House of Representative, following its pronouncement by then president-elect Joseph Boakai, prioritizes youth digital education.
At the inauguration President Joseph Boakai, pledged to enhance the digital skills of over 10,000 young Liberians during his first address to the nation on Monday, January 29, at the Capitol Building.
“In our quest to expand the economy, we will leverage Information Communication Technology (ICT) in creating jobs, especially for our youth. To achieve this, my Administration will train up to 10,000 young people in various digital skills in the first half of 2024. The Liberian middle-class goal must be a reality in the next 6 years,” Boakai declared.
This ambitious initiative aims to prepare young people for the digital age by bridging the country’s existing technology gap and ensuring that Liberians are competitive in the global marketplace. This project continues the digital initiatives of former President George Weah, which included the establishment of a national digital transformation project in partnership with the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), the construction of a national fiber optic network with Kenyan company CSquared, and the digitization of public services and modernization of the Post Office.
It’s worth noting that Liberia significantly lags in the digital field in Africa. According to the latest statistics from DataReportal, as of the start of 2023, the country had 1.80 million Internet users, a penetration rate of 33.6% for a population of 5.36 million. Additionally, the number of social media users was 642,100 in January, representing 12.0% of the total population. In terms of mobile connectivity, Liberia recorded a total of 4.20 million active cellular mobile connections at the start of 2023, equivalent to 78.4% of the total population.
