Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1229854,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1229854/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 87,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kilgoris, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Julius Sunkuli",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "concerned. A child from Kilgoris Boys High School looks different from a child from Kisii High School and each of them will have a sense of pride in their uniform. The only problem in recent days is the way we handle this uniform issue. Many headteachers are using this school uniform as a business for themselves. As a result, they have made connections with producers and vendors of the uniforms. When a student reports to school, he or she is required to go to a particular shop in order to buy uniform. This kind of business has escalated the prices of uniforms. This is because if a school has only one source of uniform, then that means there is no competition and consequently the prices of uniforms will be very high. Other schools have made it a requirement that they should dress in designer uniforms and only have a certain quality. A principal of a school will look at a child’s uniform and tell them that it is not pure cotton. In my view, this is where we need to correct ourselves as Kenyans. The question of standardising uniform must be on the colour and the shape of the uniform rather than the texture. We should accept whatever the students can afford as long as it is approximately close in style and colour to what has been recommended by the school. In the United States of America (USA), only a few schools are required to wear uniforms but even then, the dress that you wear is standardised. Therefore, there is a dress code and you do not just appear in school with anything. However, because of poverty in Kenya, we cannot expect that uniforms become the most expensive part of our education. We would like to urge the schools to also feel the pain that everybody else is feeling. Instead of requiring that the student wears a particular uniform, we should all look at it again and ask if this is really what a uniform should be. We should also find out if we are making it very expensive. There are those who chose to go to expensive schools and that is part of our democracy. If you choose to go to Hillcrest, then that means you can afford the uniform they are going to prescribe to you. I think if a school like Alliance High School which calls itself Bush because of the uniform would like to maintain a high standard of uniform, then it should be allowed to have it. However, as a general rule, our public schools should have uniforms that the students can afford. I think that is the bottom line. As Members of Parliament, we want to help the students to pay school fees and other things. There are many cheques that have been issued to support them in terms of bursaries but when they get there, they are told there is Ksh9,000 or Ksh12,000 which is pending for uniform. We cannot afford to have that kind of scenario where the student is still out because of uniform although the fees has been paid. Hon. Deputy Speaker, this is the time when Members should start the process of ensuring that our students are not exploited by principals. Further, although the uniform is something that we must support as it is a part of our learning process and pride of a school, it must be made affordable. I support."
}