PS Omollo urges review of cybersecurity curriculum

Interior PS Raymond Omollo before the Committee on Administration and Internal Security at Bunge Towers. June 20, 2024 [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Ministry of Interior has called for a review of the curriculum on cybersecurity to put up with the fast-evolving advancements in technology. 

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has urged the academia and stakeholders to consider making frequent assessments on cybersecurity programmes and address the gaps that may exist in the syllabus to adjust to the fast-changing technology and growing Artificial Intelligence (AI).  

This way, Omollo said, the country will be equipped to avert cyberattacks that continue to pose a threat to the security of the country's data and information. 

The country has recently found itself at crossroads following attacks on the government's key digital services platform, e-Citizen.  

"There must be a constant review of the curriculum to live with the realities of the day in terms of what is changing. The threats we face grow more sophisticated. It is therefore essential that we build strong cybersecurity capabilities and remain prepared to face these challenges," he said. 

"If we become too rigid, we lose the opportunity to get the right kind of students who go through our programmes, who are going to make an impact, not just in government, but also in industry," he said. 

University of Nairobi's Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ayub Gitau called for collaboration among players and partners to address the challenges and design preventive measures for risks facing both consumers and developers in the sector. 

"In this era where technology connects us more than before, there is an increased level of connectivity which comes with risks, we must take collective action to manage this growing field effectively," he said.  

PS Omollo and the VC spoke on Tuesday at the University of Nairobi where he opened the Cyberweek Africa Conference and Expo 2024. 

The three-day forum that began on Tuesday, brings together industry players including the government, private sector and academia, focusing on challenges surrounding the cybersecurity workforce.

"This conference is a critical initiative under the National Cybersecurity Coordination Committee (NC4) that aims to increase user awareness, build capacity, and deepen our understanding of the risks we face in the cyber environment," he said. 

To prevent future attacks and strengthen, Omollo affirmed the government's commitment to implement the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2018 that came into effect in March this year. 

"We are also investing in long-term capacity-building initiatives, such as establishing cybersecurity centers of excellence, enhancing workforce, and unifying efforts to protect our cyberspace," he stated. 

PS noted that cyber threats pose significant risks across all sectors including critical information infrastructures, do not discriminate and continue to be one of the highest security concerns society faces today.