Kenya will only transform and move to the next level if it is able to have adequate and skilled human capital, Interior PS Dr Raymond Omollo said on Friday.
The PS further noted that by matching skills with the demands of the job market, the Kenya Kwanza administration under President William Ruto is keen to increase the number of students scoring quality grades by ensuring the education sector gets full support.
Addressing parents, teachers, students and leaders at Mbita High School, the PS noted the the President is keen on delivering services to the people.
"As a government, we committed to deliver to the people. We want to ensure Kenyas access services easily," he said.
He said that to bring services closer to the people the president made a commitment to digitise at least 5, 000 government services within six months after forming a government.
Omollo said that the current administration has been able to achieve that milestone with a record 5,080 government services digitised.
"Why are we doing this? As a government, we are there to serve the people and we must make it easy for the people we serve to access the services," the PS said.
Omollo was in the school as a chief guest to help raise funds towards the construction of an ultra-modern computer laboratory.
He lauded the school for registering excellent results consistently in the past years.
Last year, 23 students from the school managed to secure direct admission to medical school to study medicine.
"We will support you. President Ruto's government is keen to increase the number of students getting quality grades by ensuring education is fully supported," he said
" For instance in this school, we would wish to see the number of students getting admitted to medical school increase to 50 plus," he said.
He said by increasing the number of students getting quality grades will see the country have more engineers, doctors, lawyers, and statisticians among other professionals.
He advised students to remain disciplined noting that only discipline will lead them to success.
"I challenge you to be disciplined. It doesn't matter how brilliant you are in class, if you are not disciplined, you are going nowhere," he said.
"The only way to get to where you aspire to be in life and whatever your parents desire to see you accomplish will only happen if you are disciplined," Dr Omollo said.
To, teachers, the PS advised them to treat students like their own children.
"Treat them as your own when they are under your care," he said.
He also appealed to the old Boys and parents to help schools to put up adequate infrastructure to be able to accommodate the rising numbers of students joining secondary schools.
An old boy of Mbita boys having left the institution 26 years ago, the PS remembered with nostalgia his days there.
"Life is more like a voyage through the lake. In the rocking waves, we sink into the troughs of failure and rise up the crests of triumph," he said.
"In this turbulent journey, education is our boat. But, to safely dock on the shores of success, we must paddle with determination," he added.
He said they sacrificed the night's sleep, for the gains of dawn, paddling to success.
Those who attended the fundraising ceremony included Principal Secretaries Belio Kipsang (Education), Alfred K’Ombudo (Trade), Senator Prof. Tom Ojienda (Kisumu County), Mps Caroli Omondi (Suba South), Felix Oduor 'Jalango' (Lang'ata), Elisha Odhiambo (Gem) and Gideon Ochanda (Bondo),
During the drive, Sh20m was raised towards the proposed project.
" We are focused to equip our learners with requisite digital literacy skills to give them an edge in the fast-changing cyberspace," the PS noted.
Omollo noted that the facility will offer an early training ground for learners, in line with the Government's Digital Economy and give them a global experience.