HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 225475,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/225475/?format=api",
"text_counter": 198,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Musila",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 94,
"legal_name": "David Musila",
"slug": "david-musila"
},
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, but I was just appalled that they are even marginalising an Assistant Minister's own district. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am emphasising that when the Ministry allocates teacher training vacancies, let us see these districts with more teachers getting the lions share of allocations in teacher training. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, then there is the issue of examinations. Whenever examinations are done, the Government publishes the best schools and best performing students. It is no wonder that we never see any schools in Mwingi District featuring anywhere in those lists because we have no teachers right from the primary school level to secondary level. I have a list here showing that Mwingi District lacks 97 secondary school teachers and it goes on. It is very sad. It makes nonsense of the publication of this competitive results. So, if we want our schools to compete on equal footing with others, we must address the issue of teachers squarely without favouring some districts. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, you will recall that two years ago in this House, the Ministry of Education brought for debate a Sessional Paper on Education. It was a very well thought out paper and this House passed it unanimously. Among the things recommended by that paper was the passing on of the responsibility of payment of pre-primary teachers to the Government. To date, the Ministry has done nothing to ensure that pre-primary teachers are paid by the Ministry, so that we ensure that the quality of primary, secondary and university education is guaranteed. Let me also appeal to the Ministry to hasten and promise this House and the country that from 1st July, all pre-primary teachers countrywide will be the responsibility of the Ministry. In that way, we will ensure that quality of primary education is guaranteed. I am sure that when the Assistant Minister responds, he will give Kenyans good news regarding this matter. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will not conclude my contribution on any Motion on education without talking about withheld certificates. This is a very serious matter. I am sure that in Kajiado North Constituency, we have students who left school many years ago and yet, their certificates are still being withheld by schools on account of non-payment of school fees balances. It is not because they want it that way, but because their parents are poor. Perhaps, some of them are orphans, but the Ministry of Education continues to ignore this matter, as if it does not exist, April 18, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 711 yet, it is a national problem and a disaster. Every time we talk about it, the Ministry says that it has no money, yet, we know that this Government has money enough to bail out public companies when they are going under, while it forgets its own orphaned children who are languishing at home. They cannot access employment and hence, they are condemned permanently to poverty. I do not know what kind of language this Government will understand. This House passed a Motion urging the Ministry of Education to release these certificates three years ago. At that time - the end of 2003 - over 600,000 former students were without certificates. Today, that number has tripled. It is estimated that over 1.5 million students have left school and they are languishing at home without their certificates and hence, they cannot access employment. If we have decided to invest in education, we must see the results of our investment. The results must be these students who can access employment and contribute to nation building, as opposed to the present situation. I will continue to appeal and ask hon. Members to join me in urging the Government to listen to this important issue. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}