Latest news with #Juma
The Star
4 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Feature: Kenyan youth embrace digital skills amid growing gig economy
NAIROBI, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Sitting on a plastic chair at an information and communications technology (ICT) center in Ndhiwa town, about 366 km from Nairobi, Kenya's capital, Jackline Juma's fingers move swiftly as she taps on the computer keyboard. The 19-year-old high school graduate occasionally glances at the computer screen to check for errors before continuing to type. "I came to this center for training after completing Form Four in 2024 so that I can gain digital skills to use in life," Juma said. She said that without acquiring these skills, she would struggle to advance her education, find a job, or even communicate effectively. Juma is one of many young people in rural areas who visit such centers across the East African nation daily, eager to acquire new skills that can help them benefit from the growing opportunities in the gig economy. At the centers, the youth immerse themselves in various digital literacy programs, ranging from basic computer skills to more advanced ones such as coding, online entrepreneurship, data entry, virtual assistance, app and web development, and graphic design. The skills they are acquiring are helping them explore new career paths in the gig economy, including freelancing, digital content creation, virtual assistance, online surveys, transcription, and data entry. Kevin Aroka, manager of the ICT center, said the free training offered under the government-run Ajira Digital Program is equipping young people with essential digital skills. "Many youth now know that traditional employment opportunities have shrunk and are therefore exploring digital careers such as transcribing, content creation, and data entry," he said. The training, Aroka added, not only enhances their digital literacy but also prepares them for the expanding gig economy. Besides the courses that help the youth earn money online, Aroka said they also teach financial literacy and online work safety. He said that there are three other such centers in Ndhiwa, each training at least 50 students every three months. "Here in Kosewe, we have trained about 3,394 young people; in Kobodo, 1,930; in Ratanga, 2,851; and in Pala, 900. This has been over about two years, and many of them are now earning from the gig economy," he said, noting that the training is supported by the area's Constituency Development Fund. According to Aroka, one of the notable jobs completed by the center's digital skills graduates was transcribing documents for the Judiciary. "The learners were earning up to 25,000 shillings (about 193 U.S. dollars) a month from the work. This encouraged many others to enroll in the program, and now a good number are earning from online jobs," he said. The training program is one of the Kenyan government's job creation initiatives. So far, the government has established over 400 ICT centers across the country, providing training in online work opportunities, including freelancing and digital marketing, to over 500,000 people, according to John Tanui, principal secretary of the State Department for ICT and Digital Economy. Kenyan President William Ruto said recently that his government is using digital technology and innovation to create jobs and address the unemployment challenge in the country, where 30 percent of young people are jobless. The goal, he said, is to create a community of digital workers across Kenya, making it easier for global firms to hire young people in the country. According to the Mastercard Foundation, some 1.2 million Kenyan workers, most of whom operate informally, are employed in the gig economy, which is estimated to be worth 109 million dollars annually. For Brighton Odhiambo, one of the trainees, the future of work in Kenya, as in many parts of the world, is online. He said he plans to learn as many digital skills as possible so he can become versatile and earn a good income from the gig economy.
Biz Bahrain
24-05-2025
- Science
- Biz Bahrain
Education Minister honours 27 schools for 2023 TIMSS results
Dr. Mohamed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, honoured 27 public and private schools for their performance in the latest 2023 cycle of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), having achieved scores exceeding 550 points in both subjects, placing them at high and advanced performance levels. The ceremony, organised by the ministry, also honoured 86 teachers whose efforts contributed to their fourth-grade and eighth-grade students achieving high scores. Recognition was extended to school coordinators and ministry staff involved in the proper implementation of the study. The minister expressed appreciation to the public and private schools, including their teaching and administrative staff, students, and parents, as well as to the relevant sectors within the ministry for their effective role in supporting the Kingdom of Bahrain's participation in this important international study. Dr. Juma congratulated the honoured schools for their commendable results in the two core subjects, noting that performance in mathematics and science serves as a key indicator of educational development. He highlighted that international studies offer a valuable opportunity to assess performance, analyse results, identify strengths and challenges, and inform evidence based policies that enhance the quality and sustainability of education services. On her part, Dr. Samah Mohammed Al Ajjawi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Development of Education and Learning Policies and Bahrain's National Coordinator for the TIMSS study, said that the ministry is implementing development plans for both subjects, which aim to improve teaching methods, particularly by leveraging artificial intelligence tools. She noted that the TIMSS study plays a key role in assessing how curricula and teaching practices impact student learning, and that its results provide vital indicators for decision makers to design effective development strategies that improve learning outcomes in mathematics and science, essential for building scientifically and technologically advanced societies. BNA(R)
Daily Tribune
23-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Schools Excel Globally
TDT | Manama Bahrain's rising academic standards earned international recognition as 27 public and private schools were honoured for outstanding results in the 2023 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), with scores exceeding 550 points in both subjects and placing them at high and advanced performance levels globally. Minister of Education, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed bin Mubarak Juma honoured the top-performing schools at a ceremony organised by the ministry, praising their performance and acknowledging their role in strengthening Bahrain's reputation in international academic rankings. The event also recognised 86 teachers, school coordinators, and ministry staff whose efforts helped fourth-grade and eighthgrade students achieve exceptional results. Commitment recognised Dr. Juma expressed appreciation to the teaching and administrative staff, students, parents, and relevant ministry departments for supporting Bahrain's participation in the international study. He noted that success in mathematics and science is a key indicator of educational development and national progress. He added that international assessments like TIMSS are essential for evaluating performance, analysing trends, identifying challenges, and shaping evidence-based education policies that improve quality and sustainability. Forward strategy Dr. Samah Mohammed Al Ajjawi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Development of Education and Learning Policies and Bahrain's National Coordinator for TIMSS, said the ministry is advancing development plans for both subjects, including the adoption of modern teaching strategies that leverage artificial intelligence. She noted that TIMSS provides essential insights into how curricula and teaching approaches influence student learning, helping policymakers build more effective and future-ready education systems, especially in core scientific and technological disciplines.
India Today
22-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
Shattered childhoods: Gaza's children first face bombs, then hunger
In 2014, Palestinian poet Khaled Juma wrote a painful verse about the 'Rascal Children of Gaza' amid Israel's bombardment of the Strip. Juma lamented how he yearned for their mischief and laughter. More than a decade later, the children of Gaza seem to have nowhere left to the beginning of the present conflict in October 2023 and May 20 this year, about 18,000 Palestinian children were killed in Israeli strikes. More than 800 of them were infants under the age of one. And at least 274 were born and killed in the past 19 violence shows no sign of slowing: more than 950 children have been killed in the last two months of children Children who have survived airstrikes and bombardment now face hunger. According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, more than eleven weeks into the blockade on humanitarian aid by Israeli authorities, Gaza's food crisis has reached catastrophic levels. Over 50 children have already died from starvation, and many others are on the verge of Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned two days ago that without immediate intervention, as many as 14,000 infants could die within just 48 of May 14, over 90 per cent of children aged between six and 23 months, along with pregnant and breastfeeding women, were not meeting their nutritional to the State of Palestine Nutrition Cluster, more than 1.2 million people in Gaza have required lifesaving nutrition interventions and malnutrition prevention services in 2025 alone. This includes approximately eight lakh children under the age of five, and over three lakh pregnant or breastfeeding women. More than 60,000 children under the age of five need acute malnutrition, and nearly three lakh children need supplementary feeding and micronutrient 16,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women are suffering from acute malnutrition, 1.5 lakh require preventive supplementation, and 20,000 need cash-based assistance to stave off quality of life for the livingAs of May 14, more than 13,000 school students and 663 education workers have been killed, and around 22,000 students and 2,825 teachers have been injured. Education has been upended for 6.6 lakh school-aged children and 8,700 tertiary students, who now lack access to formal learning health support is another urgent need. Over 1 million children now require psychosocial and mental health support due to sustained trauma. According to a World Health Organisation report, Palestinians in Gaza, children and adults alike, suffer from high rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and acute stress report cited various studies, one of which estimated that 54 per cent of children in Gaza had PTSD, with comorbid depression (41 per cent) and anxiety (34 per cent), due to traumatic events like bombings and loss of loved January, UNICEF noted that between 13,455 and 17,550 children in the Gaza Strip have life-changing injuries, requiring major rehabilitation, and that between 3,105 and 4,050 limb amputations have occurred since October Watch
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- The Hindu
Haj flight operations from Kerala begin
The first batch of Haj pilgrims from Kerala under the State Haj Committee supervision left Karipur for Jeddah in the early hours of Saturday. Air India Express flight IX 3011 took off from Karipur at 12.45 a.m. carrying 172 pilgrims. As many as 95 of them were women. The pilgrims had reached the Haj camp at Haj House, Karipur, on Friday morning. They held the Juma prayers at the camp. Minister in charge of Haj affairs V. Abdurahiman inaugurated the camp, and bid farewell to the first batch of pilgrims. The second Haj flight departed from Karipur at 4.30 p.m. with 87 men and 86 women on board. Officials said there would be three Haj flights from Karipur and two from Kannur on Sunday. The flights from Karipur will be at 12.55 a.m., 8.50 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. The pilgrims flying on Sunday reached the Haj camps on Saturday. The first flight from Kannur will leave at 4 a.m. on Sunday, and the second flight will be at 7.30 p.m. The Haj camp offers various amenities, including medical facilities and currency exchange services. Airlines operating Haj flights have imposed temporary baggage weight restrictions until Monday due to international air traffic regulations. The Minister urged the Haj pilgrims to pray for global peace, particularly in light of escalating border tensions. He advised them to take care and precautions against extreme heat in Saudi Arabia. Haj Committee Chairman Husain Saqafi Chullikkode presided over the inaugural function. P. Abdul Hameed, MLA, was the chief guest. Ahamed Devarkovil, MLA, T.V. Ibrahim, MLA, and P.T.A. Raheem, MLA, spoke. Syed Rasheedali Shihab led a prayer.
