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{
"id": 1525212,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525212/?format=api",
"text_counter": 144,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Hon. Members, we have Green Edgewood Academy seated in the Public Gallery this morning. They are students from Ruiru Constituency, Kiambu County. We have Mama Ngina University College in the Speaker's Gallery, Gatundu Constituency, Kiambu County. You are welcome to the National Assembly of Kenya to observe the Proceedings of the House."
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"id": 1525213,
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"text_counter": 145,
"type": "scene",
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"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Applause)"
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"id": 1525214,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525214/?format=api",
"text_counter": 146,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Hon. Murugara will be the first in this debate. I would like to give him a chance to welcome students and proceed to debate."
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{
"id": 1525215,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525215/?format=api",
"text_counter": 147,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Tharaka, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. George Murugara",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. Allow me to take this opportunity to welcome all the students of the named schools, colleges and universities who have come to observe the Proceedings of the House. Let them feel welcomed, especially by the leaders they elected—leaders who spend time here to deliberate on issues that touch on them – to ensure students get the best education in the country. Mine would be to encourage these young people to study hard and emulate their leaders so that the country will, in the future, not be short of dignified leaders elected or selected to come to this Parliament to represent the people of Kenya. You are welcome. Do well in your studies, and this, specifically, goes to Kathigagaceru Secondary School. Mbeere North Constituency borders Tharaka Constituency. They are similar in topography. What is in Mbeere is in Tharaka, extending to Kitui. Education is the only reliance we have if we are to make our lives better. My two minutes are over now. I will start to contribute on the proposed amendment to the Basic Education Act through the Basic Education Amendment Bill brought to this House by the great lady Member of Parliament for Maragwa Constituency in Murang’a County, Hon. Mary Wamaua. It is a timely Bill that will help us to continue moving downwards from 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."
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{
"id": 1525216,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525216/?format=api",
"text_counter": 148,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Tharaka, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. George Murugara",
"speaker": null,
"content": "top. We used to have District Education Boards (DEBs), and most schools were established under them. When districts became counties – the districts were 42 before additional districts were created between 1985 and 1992 – the DEBs were replicated in all the counties. So, counties got the county education boards. However, many sub-counties – equivalent to the districts – do not have these boards. This is the right time to establish education boards that will sit at the sub-county headquarters to discuss matters of education. I support the Bill wholeheartedly. We should establish these education boards, with or without the proposed amendments. The issue of remuneration may be a little bit wanting. I do not see why the Government cannot dedicate money towards this so that when the boards sit, the members draw an allowance like any other civil servant or person entitled to an allowance. The functions of the sub-county education boards are set out. They are very important functions. What we have at the county level will be devolved to the sub-county level. In essence, we will have the education boards’ services nearer to the people. Those who want to do things at the basic level will do it from the sub-county. Registration of schools is quite hectic because we have only one director of sub-county education and one director of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). With these boards established, it would mean if we want to register new schools… There cannot be any policy in the country that prevents new schools from being registered since the population is increasing from time to time. We also have to shorten the distances between one school and the other. We do not want our children to walk long distances when they attend primary and day secondary schools. So, at the end of the day, we should aim to have a primary school and possibly a day secondary school in every village. The 100 per cent transition from primary school to secondary school means that every primary school must have a day secondary school attached to it to accommodate its pupils. Therefore, the boards we are about to establish will be very important in doing this and ensuring that matters of education are dealt with at the basic level. As I continue to appraise what happened, let me give this House an incident that took place in my constituency, Tharaka, in Tharaka Nithi County. An education board would have solved the problem immediately. During the teachers’ replacement recruitment exercise that was being done at sub-county levels, Chaikariga Sub-County got a zero allocation. When the slots were allocated, I had three fully-fledged sub-counties in Tharaka Constituency. These are Tharaka North, Tharaka South and Chiakariga."
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"id": 1525217,
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"text_counter": 149,
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"speaker_name": "",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. Abdul Haro laughed loudly)"
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"id": 1525218,
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"text_counter": 150,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Order, Hon. Murugara. Is that Hon. Haro? Someone is making you laugh very loudly. Normally, you are a very soft guy. Please laugh in a lower tone with some civility."
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"id": 1525219,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525219/?format=api",
"text_counter": 151,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Tharaka, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. George Murugara",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Thank you very much, Hon. Temporary Speaker. It must have been very hilarious for the learned gentleman. He is making himself quite happy in the morning, which is a very good thing. Let me continue with what happened to Chiakariga. It got a zero allocation. Tharaka South was given 42 slots, which was a little bit curious. Tharaka North was given seven slots. When I made inquiries, I was told the decision was made by the TSC and communicated to the County Director of Education. Therefore, there was nothing that could have been done. Of course, I brought the protest regarding that exercise to this House and also took it to the TSC. Eventually, the TSC directed the county director, through the sub-county director, to relook the matter. I am trying to say here that this problem would not have escalated if we had sub-county education boards sitting at Chiakariga, Marimanti in Tharaka South, and Gatunga in Tharaka North. It could have been solved promptly. The board could have said there was no way they could allocate teachers this way by leaving out one sub-county and giving more slots than the others. There must be an element of equity when it comes to distribution, especially of 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": 1525220,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525220/?format=api",
"text_counter": 152,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Tharaka, UDA",
"speaker_title": "Hon. George Murugara",
"speaker": null,
"content": "scarce jobs in the country. It goes without saying that the level of unemployment is too high. There is high competition for the few available slots. Where three or four slots are available, they must be distributed equitably, if not equally. Therefore, education boards will solve such problems. They will have board meetings at the sub-county headquarters to discuss matters brought to them by teachers, especially head teachers and school principals. Today, if you have a problem regarding a school, you have to go all the way to the county headquarters to get the director. When you go to the sub-county director of education, he will tell you his powers are limited because he does not have a board. So, to ensure that our people are served properly at the local level – a sub-county is quite local – let us establish these boards and empower them. Regarding remuneration, we should consider pushing them to be resourced properly and remunerated at that level from the consolidated fund. Thank you. I beg for support."
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"id": 1525221,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1525221/?format=api",
"text_counter": 153,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "(Hon. (Dr) Rachael Nyamai): Very well spoken, Hon. Murugara. Thank you. Hon. Beatrice Elachi, you had wanted to contribute to this matter."
}
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