SMART Zambia Rolls Out Decentralised Digital Skills Training for Public Service

SMART Zambia Institute  has launched a decentralised digital skills training programme aimed at strengthening digital capacity across the public service, beginning with an orientation session for 13 nominated officers from key government institutions. Participants were drawn from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Justice, National Research Development Centre, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprise Development, and the University of Zambia.

The orientation focused on equipping the officers with the knowledge required to enrol learners and provide guidance on the SMART Zambia Cisco Networking Academy platform in their capacity as instructors. The initiative is designed to expand access to free digital literacy and applied digital skills training within government institutions, enabling ministries to directly manage course enrolment and basic administration.

By decentralising programme management, the initiative aims to increase participation, foster institutional ownership, and ensure the long-term sustainability of digital skills development across government. The programme aligns with the government’s broader digital transformation agenda led by SMART Zambia Institute, which prioritises digital skills as a key enabler of efficient, secure, and citizen-centred public service delivery.

Through partnerships with global digital skills providers such as Cisco Networking Academy, SMART Zambia continues to build the capacity of public servants to effectively use digital platforms, enhance cybersecurity awareness, improve productivity, and strengthen transparency and accountability across public sector operations.