Kenya ICT Secretary Urges Stronger Industry-Academia Links for Digital Skills

Kenya’s Principal Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy, Eng. John Kipchumba Tanui, has called for stronger cooperation between industry, training institutions and government to improve technical and vocational education.

Tanui delivered the keynote address at the Rift Valley Technical Training Institute (RVTTI) Partners’ Breakfast Meeting, held under the theme “Sustainable Futures.” The meeting was hosted by Eng. Prof. David K. Some, Chair of the RVTTI Board of Management, and Mrs. Loice Kutoh, the institute’s Chief Principal and Secretary to the Board of Management.

Aligning training with workplace needs

Tanui said closer links between employers and training institutions were needed to help equip Kenya’s youth with practical, market-relevant skills. He connected the call to the demands of an economy that is continuing to change and to the need to prepare graduates for meaningful employment and emerging opportunities.

He also urged stronger cooperation in curriculum development, industrial attachment and practical skills training. According to Tanui, collaboration in these areas could help reduce the distance between academic qualifications and the requirements of the workplace.

The call places industry participation alongside the role of training institutions and government in shaping technical and vocational education. Tanui said sustained partnerships could help connect education more effectively with employment, while also supporting investment, job creation and a more competitive and resilient economy.

Technology in vocational education

Tanui further emphasized the need to incorporate information and communications technology, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into technical and vocational training.

He said the integration of these technologies could support productivity and innovation and give young people competencies to participate more effectively in Kenya’s expanding digital economy.

The State Department for ICT and the Digital Economy continues to advance Kenya’s digital transformation agenda. The department identifies digital skills and human capital development as important foundations for inclusive growth, innovation and a sustainable digital economy.

No formal agreements, funding arrangements or implementation timelines were identified in connection with the meeting. The reported benefits of stronger partnerships and technology integration were presented as expected outcomes of the approach outlined by Tanui.