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"id": 185144,
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Letimalo",
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"speaker": {
"id": 68,
"legal_name": "Raphael Lakalei Letimalo",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the Vote on the Ministry of Education. First, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to congratulate the Minister and the entire Ministry officials for the good work that they are doing in the Ministry. I do want to join my colleagues in appreciating the manner in which the Ministry has actually implemented the Free Primary Education Programme, the success that it has realized and the progress that it is making to offer free secondary education. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, a lot has been said which I do not wish to repeat. In fact, I just want to make a few comments and wish to confine myself to my own constituency. Samburu East Constituency, which is now an independent district - it is one of the newly created districts - is one of the most marginalised districts in this country. That is due, particularly, to the 2596 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 8, 2008 peoples' cultural lifestyle. It has the highest illiteracy and poverty levels. All those factors affect the standards of education in the area. The poverty levels are actually attributed to high drop-out levels in the district, and also poor performance in national examinations. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, considering that the community practises nomadic pastoralism which, by itself, has got some detrimental effects to education--- That is one region that is prone to drought. The pastoralists are forced to move with their livestock in search of water and pasture. In the process, it is natural that parents cannot leave their children behind; they have to move with them. So, in the process, they end up abandoning learning. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to appeal to the Ministry that there is need for boarding schools in such regions. I want to propose that, at least, there should be one school in every location that has a boarding facility, just to ensure that in the event of difficulties like drought, the childrens' education will not be affected or compromised in any way. They will be able to be retained there because, at least, they have a place to stay. Otherwise, if they will be commuting from home to the day schools for instance, then, certainly, during such difficult times, they will accompany their parents when they move about in such of water and such-like resources. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, boarding schools need also to be registered because I did not know that, with the proceeds of the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF), a boarding facility can be built. But it cannot necessarily be registered. Therefore, it will not qualify for government stores like food. I really want to commend the Minister and the Permanent Secretary because I made that request. Upon application by the District Education Officer (DEO), my constituency was given. Now, we know that, at least, four schools have settled down because the boarding sections in those schools have been registered and, therefore, they are now qualified to get Government stores like food and, therefore, learning is not affected. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this may sound to be a surprise to this House, to the Minister and the Ministry officials. But in Samburu East District, we still have areas where schools do not exist. We do not have a single primary school! I would like to mention the names so that the Minister and his officials do not say that I am playing politics, and that they can confirm these details from their officers on the ground. A place like Lorokonyiki - I know the name may be difficult - is a full sub-location with more than 5,000 residents and not a single school! In fact, there is not even a nursery school there!"
}