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{
    "id": 1299806,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1299806/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 268,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Miraj",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "practices, all forms of violence, inhuman treatment, punishment, and hazardous of exploitative labour. Section 13 of the Children’s Act No.29 of 2022, reiterates the right of a child to basic education and mandates the Cabinet Secretary in charge of children matters, in consultations with the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Education to develop and implement policies for the realization, by every child, of the constitutional rights to education. The Basic Education Act No.14 of 2013, provides that no child shall be denied admission to a public school. The above notwithstanding, children who fall pregnant in school, especially those born in poor households, are likely to drop out of school so that they can fend for their children. This not only affects their right to education, but also exposes them to early marriages and exploitative labour practices as they seek to fend for themselves and their children. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, some schools conduct mandatory pregnancy tests without the consent of the children. More often, the schools expel any students who are discovered to be pregnant. Such children are also exposed to ridicule and harassment and are often cited as examples of bad behaviours, thus leading them to drop out of school. It is also difficult for children who have been pregnant before to be re-admitted to the school or another school as they are often shunned by school administration fearing that admitting them will also be viewed as tolerating ill behaviour from students, which they are afraid of spreading to other students if the affected student is readmitted to school. Sometimes, the child-parents have no one to leave their new-born babies with, thus leading them to either delay re-entry to school or make them not concentrate on their studies hence resulting in poor academic results. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, existing legislation only provides the rights of the children in general and does not take care of the circumstances unique to child parents. The laws do not provide for how children who fall pregnant are to be handled by the school administrations during their pregnancy and after delivery. Current laws do not also provide for ways of ensuring that once the child-parents have given birth, they are readmitted to school and have support and access to childcare facilities, particularly for those without anyone to take care of their new-born children while in school. There is also no law providing a framework for the establishment, management and inspection of childcare facilities to ensure that they are safe for children. There is therefore need to create a framework for children in vulnerable households to ensure that they can complete their basic education and have a better chance at having a better quality of life. This Bill therefore seeks to provide a legal framework - (a) for the protection of rights set out under Article 53(1) (c) and (d) of the Constitution of Kenya in relation to child parents; (b) the expectant child or child-parent can realize their rights to education and at the same time ensure the care and protection of this child; and, (c) of standards for the establishment and regulation of care centres for child parents by county governments."
}