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{
"id": 1525182,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525182/?format=api",
"text_counter": 114,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Rachael Nyamai",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Hon. Mary Wamaua, you may proceed."
},
{
"id": 1525183,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525183/?format=api",
"text_counter": 115,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
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"content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I beg to move that The Basic Education (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 59 of 2023) be now read a Second Time. This Bill seeks to amend Section 18 (2) of the Basic Education Act 2013, which states that the County Education Board may, in consultation with the National Education Board and relevant stakeholders, appoint a sub-county education office with clear function and powers. This provision uses the word \"may,\" indicating that it is not mandatory. I believe it is appropriate to consider the current structure of the County Education Board (CEB), which has the option to establish a sub-county office as a liaison. While the liaison office at the sub- county level plays a role, its functions are still subject to validation by the CEB. This has led to significant delays in critical educational functions such as school registration, the review of school management reports, and other administrative approvals. Counties with vast geographical jurisdictions covering multiple constituencies face particularly long delays in validating and approving issues. For instance, in Nairobi County, Kiambu County, and Nakuru County, urgent matters often take a long time to be processed by the CEB, after which they have to come to Jogoo House. By the time it gets back, a lot of time has been wasted. The sub-county education boards could handle many of these tasks more efficiently if we pass this amendment. Previously, under the old administrative structure before the 2010 Constitution, we had the District Education Board (DEB), which was responsible for legislating and managing educational institutions at the sub-county level, complementing the provincial and National Education Boards. I urge this House to agree to amend the current structure by reinstating the sub-county education boards to enhance efficiency and fast-track processes, reducing unnecessary delays. The replacement of the DEB model with liaison offices has resulted in many inefficiencies, creating bottlenecks in service delivery at the local level. This Bill was conceived after observing the delays and bureaucratic hurdles in school registration and administration due to the centralised nature of county education boards. This Bill proposes the following: first, the establishment of sub-county education boards, which will have the legal authority to oversee and manage education matters at the sub- county level. This change will reduce dependency on the county education boards for every decision. Much of what needs to be done regarding our learning institutions falls within the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1525184,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525184/?format=api",
"text_counter": 116,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
},
"content": "responsibilities of the county education boards. The sub-county boards will oversee these tasks, allowing the county education board only to validate and rubberstamp matters that the sub- county education boards have already addressed before forwarding them to the Ministry. This Bill proposes to give the Sub-County Education Board the mandate to independently perform the following functions: First, registration and establishment of a data bank for all education and training institutions in the sub-county. Officers in the sub-county offices understand the terrains and geographical features in their regions. They also know the needs of the local people better than county officials stationed far from the sub-county. Therefore, the collection of the required information on the schools in an area can be fast- tracked by the sub-county education office, and a copy can be given to the County Education Board. Further, immediately after it gets to the Ministry offices, any response needed will be sent to the required client."
},
{
"id": 1525185,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525185/?format=api",
"text_counter": 117,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
},
"content": "Second, in consultation with residents of the sub-county, they will recommend institutions that may receive funding for infrastructural development. Currently, determining the infrastructural development required in schools is still under the County Education Board. Therefore, what is done at the sub-county is not valid until it is validated by Members of the County Education Board, who forward the same to the national office at Jogoo House so that a list of the schools that require infrastructure can be developed. We will save time once the Sub-County Education Board is given this role. This is only possible if we agree to establish the Board and give it power to perform its functions."
},
{
"id": 1525186,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525186/?format=api",
"text_counter": 118,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
},
"content": "Third, review of the Board of Management (BOM) Reports of respective schools within the sub-county for submission to the County Education Board. We are currently reviewing and renewing the membership of BOMs for all primary and secondary schools. Certain counties like Nairobi City, Nakuru and Kiambu are very vast. If we were to wait for the County Education Board to review all the BOMs, how long would it take? That is why the Ministry usually organises itself so that sub-county officials do this work; however, that is not their work. This Bill proposes that we give the mandate to the Sub-County Education Board because it understands the areas and the needs of the majority of the schools. The sub-county officers should then take the outcome to the county office to note and forward to the Ministry. If we wait for the County Education Board to do the work, it will take a long time. What happens at the sub-county is what we seek to anchor in the Basic Education Act so that it is not an arranged programme within the County Education Office."
},
{
"id": 1525187,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525187/?format=api",
"text_counter": 119,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
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"content": "Fourth, the sub-county office can also be allowed to assess the budgetary requirements for running institutions in the sub-county and to develop allocation programmes, including allocation for lunch at the institutions. All this is still the work of County Education Boards. If we introduce the Sub-County Education Board, like we previously had the District Education Board, we will ease the running of the programmes and, therefore, save time. Fifth, the Board can also perform any other function the County Education Board may assign without the county officers going to the sub-county office or a school. This is work that can be delegated to the Sub-County Education Board to ensure efficiency and save time."
},
{
"id": 1525188,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525188/?format=api",
"text_counter": 120,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
},
"content": "The Bill also proposes decentralisation of the decision-making power. Our Constitution focuses on devolution with the aim of taking services closer to the people. If we establish the Sub-County Education Board, we will ensure that whatever is required is decentralised to the area where the issue originated instead of waiting for the County Education Board to go to the site. The sub-county offices will no longer act merely as liaison offices waiting for mercy from the County Education Board. It will be empowered to process and approve certain functions, including school registration, management and oversight. This will ensure that we save time."
},
{
"id": 1525189,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525189/?format=api",
"text_counter": 121,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
},
"content": "The Board will also improve service delivery in schools by reducing bottlenecks caused by large county jurisdictions. The Bill will ensure that administrative tasks are handled efficiently. Some counties are huge and have many sub-counties. There is a requirement for The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
},
{
"id": 1525190,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525190/?format=api",
"text_counter": 122,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
},
"content": "quarterly reports, and the County Education Board is expected to look at them before they are sent to the national office. This takes a lot of time. If we amend the law to provide that the Sub- County Education Board do the reports, we will bring back the weight that was with the District Education Board and save much time. Additionally, we will eliminate the backlog of reports that need to be looked at by the County Education Board. Resources allocated to the County Education Board are also meagre. The Board is supposed to hold three meetings to review the work of the sub-counties; however, having even one meeting is difficult. A lot needs to be done. If we hold such meetings at the county level, we will not provide our people and schools with the best services. There is also time wastage when people have to wait for a report."
},
{
"id": 1525191,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525191/?format=api",
"text_counter": 123,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Maragwa, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Njoroge",
"speaker": {
"id": 13421,
"legal_name": "Mary Wamaua Waithira Njoroge",
"slug": "mary-wamaua-waithira-njoroge"
},
"content": "The Bill also proposes the composition of the Sub-County Education Board. The Bill provides that the Member of Parliament will be an ex-officio member of the Board. This is a National Government function. However, Members of Parliament, especially those representing single constituencies, often need to contribute something, especially to school infrastructure. This is important so that we can advise the Board on NG-CDF allocations to each school and the schools that need additional funding from the Government. By including a Member of Parliament on the Board, we will ensure that NG-CDF does not fund the same schools the Ministry funds. Hon. Temporary Speaker, we will also have the sub-county Director of Education or a designate of the sub-county Director of Education; the County Executive in charge of education or a designate of the County Executive in charge of education; one person designated by the Teachers Service Commission and two persons nominated by the teachers' trade unions which are Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET). We need to have representation from each of those teachers' trade unions. Lastly, we will require two educationists of at least five years standing, based in the sub-county nominated by the Parent-Teachers' Association (PTA) in the sub-county. When appointing the Chairperson and members of the Board, the Cabinet Secretary will ensure that not more than two-thirds of the members are of the same gender. If this is not clearly checked, you may find that all the members of the Sub-county Education Board are either male or female. It is, therefore, reasonable to ensure that the two-thirds gender rule is observed so that both genders are represented. At the same time, equal opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and other marginalised groups must also be considered to ensure that the interests of all people within the locality are represented. We should also ensure that all appointees to the Board reflect the interests of all sections of the society. I have stated here that the Chairperson of the Sub-county Education Board must possess a minimum degree qualification. The members must possess a minimum secondary education qualification, with a post-secondary certificate as an added advantage. We have to look at the qualifications of the members of the Sub-county Education Board. We cannot appoint people who do not understand or lack the necessary qualifications. These are people who will be looking after the interests of education. They must be qualified. We cannot limit the maximum qualifications. I am talking about the minimum qualifications. In Clause 2 of the Bill, the Board Member appointed under Subsection 2(b) shall be the Secretary to the Sub-county Education Board. That is the Sub-county Director of Education. The staff of the Sub-County Education Board shall be persons serving under the County Public Service Board of the respective county. The Second Schedule shall apply to conduct the business and affairs of a Sub-county Education Board with necessary modification and, except as provided for in the Second Schedule, that a Sub-county Education Board may regulate its own procedure. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}
]
}