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{
    "id": 1217977,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1217977/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 64,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Githunguri, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. As said during the introduction of my submissions, I cannot take for granted the weighty contributions that I have received from the Members of this House on the Motion that I introduced on standardising school uniforms and coming up with a Government policy so that we can bring some soberness in the industry. This Motion was introduced because of the many complaints that we have received as Members of Parliament, especially during this time when we are introducing junior secondary schools in our primary schools. Yesterday, I was in my village called Kambaa. I interacted with parents of Kanyore Primary School – one of the largest primary schools in Githiga Ward, Githunguri Constituency. It was shocking for me to learn that most of the junior secondary school learners are still at home because they cannot afford the new uniforms that have been introduced. Remember that they have now graduated to junior secondary schools in the same primary school that they were previously in, but they have to buy new uniforms. Unfortunately, this is happening across the country. It is time for us to standardise school uniforms. We should ask ourselves what material we should adopt if we are to introduce new uniforms. What quality of material should it be? What price should we not exceed? There are schools that make profits through the sale of basic requirements of school uniforms. A mere shirt that is worn by a boy aged seven years should not go beyond Ksh4,500. The same shirt goes for Ksh800 or Ksh1000 at most in the market. Why should a school dictate that a shirt worn by a Grade One or Grade Two boy be more than Ksh4,500? Our schools are not business centres. Unfortunately, they are becoming uniform business centres. Our teachers are not businessmen within the school compounds but unfortunately, they have become active businessmen. Cartels have come up in the school uniform industry. In my Githunguri Constituency, parents are forced to go to Kiambu Town, which is 26 kilometres away, yet there are tailors in a town in Githunguri who are not involved in the making of uniforms. A certain monied businessman has to influence teachers to direct all sales to their shops, therefore, rendering our tailors useless. My Motion towards standardisation urges the Ministry of Education to come up with a policy and guide on the quality, pricing, buying and making and even the colour of school uniforms. I have gathered many points from Members on how we can standardise school uniforms in the counties. We can decide that in County 001, students in public schools can wear a certain colour. In my county, we can direct that they wear a certain colour so that we stop this business of uniform vending across counties. I can buy a uniform in Mombasa for a child who is in Nairobi because tailors in Mombasa can make uniforms cheaper for a parent. Hon. Temporary Speaker, I am one of those Members who have come back to this House for the second term having campaigned along the bottom-up policy. Therefore, I would recommend that we standardise school uniforms through the Ministry of Education so that we allow our tailors in the villages to start making uniforms, open up markets, create competition and lower the prices for the Kenyan parents, who are suffering. With those remarks, I beg to reply. Thank you"
}