HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 228524,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/228524/?format=api",
"text_counter": 218,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Awori",
"speaker_title": "The Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs",
"speaker": {
"id": 290,
"legal_name": "Moody Arthur Awori",
"slug": "moody-awori"
},
"content": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. I would like to thank all the hon. Members who have contributed towards the exposition of public policy contained in His Excellency's Presidential Address from the Chair during the State Opening of Parliament. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, conspicuous in hon. Members' contributions was the matter of education. It has, obviously, been stated that because of the Free Primary Education Programme, the standards of education are, in some cases, being lowered. The reasons for this have also been stated. For example, classrooms are now filled up with between 80 and 100 children and it is difficult for teachers to give personal attention to the children; more so, they are not able to look at April 3, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 325 the exercise books and correct them. It is because of this that education standards are being lowered. I do recollect that at the time of introduction of the 8-4-4 System of Education, there was need to increase the number of classrooms right across the country. Kenyans rose to the occasion by raising funds so that in every school an extra classroom was built. This helped to launch the 8-4- 4 System of Education without any interruption. At that time, we did not even have the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). Really, at this time, when we have the CDF, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that every school constructs extra classrooms. In his Speech, the President intimated that he will increase the number of teachers. He said that there will be a recruitment of teachers. This is a pledge that the Government has made and it intends to fulfil it. With us constructing extra classrooms and the Government recruiting more teachers, we will be able to reduce the number of children in the classrooms from 100 to 50 children. We should, therefore, be able to sustain the high standards of education that we were used to. Only recently, the President promised teachers that their terms of service would be improved. He told them that the promises that were made to them seven or eight years ago will now be fulfilled. This is an incentive to the teachers. So, if we can now give them the tools, they will be able to raise, once again, the standards of education to the level they were always. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Members also called for free secondary education. Right now, both the Minister for Education and the Minister for Finance are looking at the modalities and various aspects to see how this can be introduced. Obviously, the Government is aware of the fact that there are very many parents who are not able to pay school fees. Because of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, many widows are now the ones heading their families. These widows are finding it very difficult to pay school fees for their children who are in secondary school because of not having any income. The introduction of bursaries has helped a little, but we want to do a little more. Therefore, the need to have free secondary education is a valid one. The Government is, definitely, looking at this matter and we hope that when it is voted back to power next year, it will be able to solve the question of free secondary education. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the question of tertiary education was spoken about by hon. Members here. I agree that the custom of turning polytechnics into universities should not continue. I am conscious of the fact that Egerton University was one of the best tertiary institutions that used to produce agriculturalists who helped to stamp quality on our agriculture. We would like to ensure that all our polytechnics are revived. We will also construct universities where they are required. At this stage, I want to emphasise that when the President said that he intends to increase the number of universities, he has followed it up, so quickly by travelling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He came back with sufficient funds to build a university at the Coast Province. I want to thank the President, because for a long time, Kenyans who come from Coast Province have always wanted a university. It is their right to have a university. When we consider that a big portion of our economy is generated from tourism at the Coast Province, it is only right that we build a university. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President stated that the economy has improved by 5 per cent. However, the contributions by some of our colleagues doubted it. They asked whether the improved economy has cascaded down to the grassroots? The answer is \"yes\". It is only some of us who have refused to see reality on the ground. Money is now in the pockets of people in the rural areas. We keep on equating employment with people being employed in factories and other industrial organisations. We keep on forgetting that with the improvement of technology, those big factories that used to employ many people like British American Tobacco (BAT), Unilever, East African Breweries and so on, are now reducing the number of their employees. Because of international competition, they have to bring the cost of production down. Therefore, they have to use improved technology. Where this Government has succeeded is in looking into the informal 326 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES April 3, 2007 sector. This sector has improved considerably. There are many people who have increased the number of their employees in"
}