HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 197739,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/197739/?format=api",
"text_counter": 66,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Ongeri",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Education",
"speaker": {
"id": 124,
"legal_name": "Samson Kegeo Ongeri",
"slug": "samson-ongeri"
},
"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Presidential Address. However, before I make my contribution, my name is Prof. Sam Ongeri, Member for Nyaribari-Masaba Constituency. I want to take this earliest opportunity to thank the Nyaribari-Masaba people for electing me to Parliament. Additionally, I would like to thank them for bearing with me when I was sitting at the negotiation table and was unable to see them. I think that it was a great sacrifice they made to allow me to be part of this process. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this nation has gone through a bleeding moment. This nation has gone through a historical perspective about which historians will tell stories and rewrite books every other day, depending upon how this august House handles the crisis at hand. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have had the rare privilege of sitting at the negotiation table. It is quite clear that the tragedy that has beset our nation is surmountable. It is a tragedy that needs us to come together and embrace the spirit of togetherness. Indeed, in the true perspective and spirit of this House we should be for the welfare of society and the just government of men. We are just about to enter a grand coalition. I think the Presidential Address in this august House set the mood for this House. Our business in this House is to ensure that this cohesion and the agenda before us are expeditiously dealt with. They have wide implications in putting this nation together. Indeed, there are certain basic Bills that will be introduced in this House. Two of them have already been introduced, the National Accord and Reconciliation Bill and the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill. Others are the Establishment of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission Bill and the Establishment of Ethnic Relations Commission of Kenya Bill. These are very important Bills and, depending on how we deal with them, they will create the impetus for this nation to move forward unhindered. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, history and happenings inform various communities on how they stand with each other. Where I come from, we witnessed a situation where we found ourselves landlocked. There was no entry or exit, whether you looked to the east, west, north or south. We were just simply landlocked. This had major social and economic implications. In fact, I sensed a feeling that I would not want to imagine or think about. I thank God that this tension is now relaxing. I hope that we will be able to build on this experience to the future. One reason why we were landlocked is because the infrastructure arrangement in various parts of this country does not enable to us reach the City here with ease. I believe that as stated in the Presidential Address, the issue of infrastructure will be one common agenda. We all agree that certain areas also need to have access to centres of opportunities. One centre of opportunity is the capital City, where Parliament is located. Therefore, I look forward with anticipation that there will be development of the road network in the area I come from to Nairobi, and also an airport at Suneka to enable even local hon. Members of Parliament to attend their constituents--- I hope that sometime, sooner than later, Nyangusu Airstrip will be developed to an international status. This should be one of the issues on which we will all have a common accord, so that we can move forward. Secondly, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have listened to comments about the education sector. I have the rare privilege of presiding over that Ministry. I want to assure hon. Members that there will be definite basic reforms that will be tabled in this House in order to take care of the need of every child who qualifies to be in our universities. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this year, there were 180,000 students who attained a mean grade of C-Plus and above and are required to join the universities. The public universities can only take 16,000 students, private universities will take 10,000 and the overseas universities will take another 10,000 students. That makes a total of 36,000. At most, with other students March 13, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 161 getting other opportunities like joining the agricultural colleges, the Medical Training College (MTC), the Communications Colleges, the Telecommunications Colleges and other colleges, another 10,000 will be absorbed. So, out of 82,000 students, probably 50,000 students will be catered for and the remaining will be out there. One thing for sure, which is clear, is that such minds, which have been educated to that level, if left unattended, may be a social time bomb for this nation. Therefore, we need to find places for them. In the near future, once we have enacted these reforms, I intend to bring to this House a Bill that will address effectively the issue of e-learning or distance learning because that is the only way we can bring about a holistic educational support to our children who are capable to reach any heights where they need to be. Therefore, these opportunities will be available to every Kenyan and no child should feel distressed. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to address one other issue. Some of you might have not understood the mission of the Ministry when we said that there is free secondary education. Let me assure this august House that no child, and I repeat, that no child will be deprived of access to the free education that the Government of Kenya is offering on account of not attaining the required number of 45 per class. However, we want to make sure that if a school has attained certain criteria such as opening an account specifically tailored towards the free education and not mixing the two accounts, they will be able to get the money. We are aware of the Arid and Semi Arid Lands (ASAL) areas. As we move forward, there will be need to increase the teaching opportunities in our institutions. Therefore, I will rely on hon. Members to deal with that situation. With regard to the issue of boards of governors, I have already issued a statement earlier on. Let me say in this House that we want to have competent boards of governors which can run schools competently. I have already taken action against one or two schools. One is in Eastern Province and another one this morning in another place. I will be taking such measures which are not meant to be punitive but corrective and together, we shall move forward. I beg to support."
}