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{
    "id": 1241010,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1241010/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 84,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Joe Nyutu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir, for this opportunity. I rise to support this Petition by Ms. Ruth W. Kabui. As the Committee on Education, we are committed to matters that affect teachers and schools. Last week, we won a battle we have been fighting for teachers who retired between 1997 and 2003. In this war, we learned that the benefit scheme of the public servants is not contributory. Nonetheless, it has started being contributory now. When it is time to pay teachers or the civil servants’ benefits and salaries, money has to be drawn from the Consolidated Fund. Unlike the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) where employees contribute and their money is set aside, the issue of employee benefits has been the problem. Let me explain it for the benefit of those who may not understand, such as the one Sen. Olekina said was born 27 years ago. These teachers had A-Level qualifications, which was advanced level education. These teachers had taken another examination after the Form Four exam. This was considered as an extra qualification and somebody could train as a P1 teacher after Form Four. Nevertheless, these are people who had chosen to get into an advanced level of education before training as teachers. They sacrificed and went to school for two years to become P1 teachers, unlike the ones who did so after finishing Form Four. That is something that should be respected and that is why these arrears must be paid soonest possible. I assure this House that my Committee is able and willing to prosecute this matter. Although Sen. Olekina has left, I wanted to assure him that the Committee on Education is able to deal with this matter. We may not have to deal with it through the women parliamentarians in this House. If anybody was casting aspersions on the ability of the Committee on Education, I assure all and sundry that we are capable. Should we need the help of women parliamentarians, we have them in the Committee. Sen. Kavindu Muthama and Sen. (Prof.) Kamar, an experienced educationist, are Members of the Committee. We are equal to the task and we will prosecute this matter. We will invite the responsible bodies such as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the National Treasury and others. I assure Ms. Kabui that this is a matter that we will deal with, if and when you refer it to us. We will deal with it in the best way."
}