Entry Instance

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

{
    "id": 1251898,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1251898/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 349,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Crystal Asige",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "For me, the older fish represents privilege, people with means who we assume are not just ignorant, but have no desire to be informed. People who are not disabled really have no awareness that very few people around them are not swimming through life as easily and as exposed as they are. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is the water. I see the water in this story as an allegory to our basic human rights such as health, housing, water, electricity, access to information and education. These rights and freedoms are meant for all people no matter their ability or disability. I have thrown myself into working on this Bill because I desperately wish to see as many barriers as possible removed from access to inclusive education by our learners with disabilities. To ease the buzz off them and their families if only a little bit so that they do not have to struggle like I did. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, learners with disabilities are not just young fish swimming in new waters, but exceedingly disadvantaged fish swimming in non-inclusive Kenyan waters. Since high school, my eyesight began to steadily decline from the degenerative disease called glaucoma, through which I had my disability. I was the only student with a visual disability in school. Similar to now, I am the only visually impaired Parliamentarian in the House. Being a young learner back then, dealing with going blind with no policies on discrimination, no inclusive education, no integrated school systems, no assistive technology or devices, no personal aid, no teachers trained in special education, and no community of people with disabilities (PWDs) around to guide or encourage me, really broke me. Then came the Constitution of Kenya 2010. Article 53 of the Constitution provides that every child has a right to free and compulsory basic education. It further provides in Article 54 that PWDs are entitled to access educational institutions and facilities that are integrated into society to the extent compatible with the interest of the person. Therefore, this Bill is aimed at providing a proper legal framework in order to ensure the actualisation of the right to basic education for learners with disabilities at all three levels of education in Kenya. The Bill outlines the rights of learners with disabilities as well as the responsibilities of the parents and guardians of learners with disabilities as it pertains to access to education. However, there are still many improvements considering the burdens of families of learners with disabilities. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, according to a study conducted by the Kenya National Survey on children with disabilities in 2018, it was found that 72.6 per cent of learners reside in rural areas. These students typically rely on health care services provided by hospitals in these rural regions, as good health is closely linked to effective learning. Given the significant reliance of the population on the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF), it is expected that these children would also benefit from its cover. Unfortunately, due to the current status of the NHIF, over 350 rural hospitals have now"
}