Govt must ensure young people are Internet savvy

What you need to know:

The issue: Technology
Our view: Schools need to include computer studies as a must-have lesson in the curriculum. It is of course true that getting the hardware and expertise will be difficult for many. In this case, partnerships can be made with organisations and companies...

It is no secret that technology is advancing every day, and at a rather mind-blowing speed. More and more, companies, businesses and institutions are using online platforms to provide information and do trade. Banks are aware that many people want to pay their bills or send someone money without having to walk to the nearest branch or ATM to withdraw it.
A good number of organisations now insist that people applying for an advertised job do so online. Universities require students to register online. Individuals find it easier to sell merchandise from the comfort of their homes; as long as they have social media platforms to communicate, they do not find the need to rent a shop or an office where to showcase their goods or products.
The question is whether our young, especially unemployed youth are ready to work in this kind of environment. It is estimated that slightly more than 13 million people have access to the Internet in Uganda. That figure, however, needs to be broken down to see how exactly people access the Internet. Many employees will make use of the Internet in their offices.
However, once they leave, few will go online specifically to access information. Some of the barriers include expensive data, expensive software, Over The Top (OTT) taxes, no gadgets to use such as laptops or computers, and a couple of others. And that is for those who have phones which they can use. There are many others who do not even have any gadget to use.
As a country that is seeking to attain the middle income status in by 2020, we need to have a plan that focuses on this aspect. As the world advances and improves technology both on and offline, we need to find ways to ensure the younger generation is up to speed with these changes.
Schools need to include computer studies as a must-have lesson in the curriculum. It is of course true that getting the hardware and expertise will be difficult for many. In this case, partnerships can be made with organisations and companies where students can visit some of them to get at least a basic understanding.
Universities need to ensure that all the students that pass through them obtain basic knowledge on ICT. The government could draw a plan on subsidising the prices of hardware and support or open more centres that provide ICT courses.
All this might seem to be expensive now, but if we do not put them in place, strategies to get our people to be technologically savvy, we will pay even more dearly in the future.