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{
    "id": 1224091,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1224091/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. M. Kajwang’",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13162,
        "legal_name": "Moses Otieno Kajwang'",
        "slug": "moses-otieno-kajwang"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to assure the Committee on Education that I will embrace the proposals they have made as amendments to the Bill. I believe that they are intended to make the Bill better and ensure that it can be applied or implemented almost immediately, once it has been enacted. I urge my fellow colleagues to look at the Bill and reflect on the state of vocational training and education in their respective counties, to reflect on the state and status of home craft centers in their respective counties. Ten years after devolution, we have dealt with the issues of setting up, structure, financial management system and human resource management system. It is now time to deal with issues of talent and capacity development. As a House, we have considered the Bill on Early Childhood Education. It is now time for us to address the other gap and function that is assigned to county governments and that is the village polytechnic and home craft centers. If there ever was to be a constitutional amendment, one of the amendments would be that Fourth Schedule, so that we no longer call them village polytechnics but vocational training centers at county level. We should find a name that we can use to refer to them, so that our young boys and girls can see the potential in them and get the incentive to go there. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as I earlier commented when we had students from Maasai Mara University and I think my colleagues must have taken me out of context. We need more political scientists and scientists in all the disciplines. We need people to take a scientific approach to everything that we do. Perhaps, what we do not need is more politicians. Politicians as I said, do not need a qualification. However, political scientists and political science is very well respected profession. Back in the day, the rich would send their children to Oxford and Cambridge, where they would study politics, economics and history. The bulk of prime ministers in the House of Commons have gone through Oxford and Cambridge and many of them have studied politics, economics and history. Yes, we need political scientist, but probably do not just need more politicians in this country. Through technical and vocational education centres, we will ensure that the hustlers – those who use hands to do work along the roadsides – get certification. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we spoke about recognition of prior learning. That should be incorporated in this Bill to ensure that people with long experience – like that good carpenter I talked about, but is always drunk by 8.00 a.m. – are rehabilitated and their skills and experience in carpentry are converted to a certificate through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). That will allow that good carpenter to even bid for county jobs. It will also allow him to go to Dubai, Doha or other global capitals because he would have obtained a certificate that recognizes his skills and competencies. That is what part of this Bill intends to do. I wish to call upon the very able--- I have lost my track of thought because I just remembered what Sen. Ogola said in a rally somewhere in Migori. She said some interesting things about herself, which I cannot translate to English. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I call upon Sen. Ogola to second the Bill."
}