HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 218232,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/218232/?format=api",
"text_counter": 164,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Ethuro",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Planning and National Development",
"speaker": {
"id": 158,
"legal_name": "Ekwee David Ethuro",
"slug": "ekwee-ethuro"
},
"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this Motion seeks to address the issue of inequality. The definition of ASALs should remain as it is. As you may remember, those forces that were acting against the ASALs are still in place. If you remember when we extended the World Bank Programme on ASAL, it was surprising to note that even parts of Nyeri District were also considered as ASALs. Those of us who occupy those places had to find ways of bringing in our own people. That is the June 13, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 1753 problem of this country. Even if we were to be given a Ministry to deal with issues concerning ASALs, I would not be surprised that the definition of ASALs would change to include areas which are not considered as ASALs. When the Ministry started the Strengthening of Mathematics and Science Education (SMASSE) Programme, we were only given one centre in West Pokot. The distance from Lodwar to West Pokot is 300 kilometres. If you add another 300 kilometres from Lokichoggio and add another 500 kilometres to Lokitaung, we are talking about 800 kilometres to access the SMASSE Centre. When we talk about ASALs, we need to appreciate and put into concept insecurity that has led to some of our schools to be closed for the better part of the year. We have to factor in infrastructure because our bridges collapse every now and then. We are looking at the broader sense of affirmative action. We are talking about areas which are worst hit by famine and drought. The only way to keep students in schools is to ensure that the Ministry approves boarding facilities in all those schools. The Ministry is very slow in approving the provision of those facilities. We urge the Minister to ensure that all the applications made by the District Education Boards (DEBs) in all the districts are dealt with immediately. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, since the Ministry already has in place a bursary programme and it has considered the number of enrolments, it should factor in ASAL areas. This Government has already given all civil servants in ASAL areas hardship allowance. We should translate the same into an ASAL factor. When you use that formulation, you will see that in this financial year, Turkana District got Kshs1,800,000 against a requirement of Kshs15 million because of the drought affecting the area. That is just a drop in the ocean. We appreciate the efforts taken by the Government but we need to factor the fact that the environmental conditions do not sustain an adequate income support in that area. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not understand why this country has found it extremely difficult to have a university at the Coast Province. Besides Nairobi, which other area do we really know in this country? Why do we have mushrooming universities in Nairobi when the course is such a natural one? I know there are plans to have a university at the Coast Province, but that should have been done yesterday. We are now supposed to be talking about having a university in the Eastern Province, which is big. In fact, Eastern Province should be divided. We should have a university in the upper Eastern Province which includes Marsabit and Isiolo. This is what contributes to these cattle rustling and insecurity. A year ago, we lost Members of Parliament who were trying to foster peace among those communities. This is because of lack of opportunities to train, so that we can have professionals who will be able to earn a living. Once this happens, nobody will be talking about cattle rustling. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we also need a university in the North Rift. We want that part of the world to also have a university. University education should be the minimum level of education that we should all attain, particularly in this particular age when we are talking about information communication technology (ICT) and installation of cable to serve the East African region. Another issue which the Ministry needs to consider is lack of teachers. We opened one secondary school in my constituency using Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) money. The school now has a Form III class, but it has only two Government teachers. How do we expect the students to continue performing well when the school is under-staffed? That school has more than 100 students. I hope that the Assistant Minister for Education is listening, and that he will ensure that there will be a sufficient number of teachers who will be deployed to teach our children. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, any discussion about ASAL areas, and education in those areas, cannot be complete without raising the issue of the School Feeding Programme. In nomadic pastoralism, where parents have to move in search of pasture and water, it is extremely important that where you have boarding schools, they are provided with sufficient food. The World 1754 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES June 13, 2007 Food Programme, which has been very kind and considerate, in partnership with the Government of Kenya, is threatening to withdraw from the School Feeding Programme. I hope that the Ministry is taking cognizance of the fact that in order to retain children in school, and improve the transition rate from primary school to secondary school as well as from secondary school to university, it is important that these particular programmes are put in place. We are celebrating our successful marathoner, Mr. Paul Tergat, who also admits that the only way he could have been in school was through the support of the School Feeding Programme. You and Iwill agree that without the School Feeding Programme we would not be standing on the Floor of this House, articulating the issues that affect our people and Kenyans in general. With those remarks, I beg to support."
}