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{
    "id": 1048571,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1048571/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 227,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kang’ata",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1826,
        "legal_name": "Irungu Kang'ata",
        "slug": "irungu-kangata"
    },
    "content": "because I was a Member of the National Assembly and used to see the scores schools used to get in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination (KCPE). I would see on average several schools getting below 250, which is the half mark or the average mark in KCPE. You will find many students failing to get C+ at high school level. Several factors have led to this situation, but I have no doubt that one of the reason we have huge numbers of students under performing in our schools is because of the foundation they were given at pre-school level; the ECDE under investment. They started from a negative trajectory. A house that is built on sand must always give way. Therefore, if we were to strengthen ECDE in this country, I have no doubt that we shall have positive results at KCPE and KCSE levels. There have been various reforms which have been undertaken by this government to strengthen our education system. The current new curriculum, which is now being implemented, has positive but also negative. Currently, they are talking of taking more emphasis in specialization; children starting to specialize early. I think that is positive because the earlier you start specializing, I would imagine the high likelihood you are going to become a specialist. If you want to become a scientist or a musician, it makes sense to come up with a curriculum that incentivizes pupils and students to specialize early. However, I am 100 per cent opposed with the move by the Government to stop or to do away with examinations. This society needs to be competitive. When we start doing away with competition, it is like having a race which does not have a number one, number two or number three. Madam Temporary Speaker, even those children who get C- or even D+ can become very successful persons in life. However, that does not justify a situation where you, say, we are not going to do assessment or going to scrap examinations. Let us celebrate competition. I hear that the Cabinet Secretary wants to ban KCSE and KCPE exams. I am wondering how we shall be able to know a student who is good and that who is not good. How shall we come up with standards?"
}