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"id": 230523,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/230523/?format=api",
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"speaker_name": "Mr. Karaba",
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"speaker": {
"id": 232,
"legal_name": "Daniel Dickson Karaba",
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"content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the following Motion:- THAT, considering that the country spends over Kshs400 million in form of foreign currency when parents take their sons/daughters to other countries for \"A\" level education; considering further that students from Kenya are at times required to undergo \"A\" level studies before proceeding to universities abroad; this House urges the Government to abolish the 8-4-4 System of Education and re-introduce the 7-4-2-3 System. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we all know that the Mackay Report of 1985 recommended the introduction of the 8-4-4 System of Education in Kenya. At inception, students were going through \"O\" level, proceeding to \"A\" level and, thereafter, they would join university. At that point, institutions offering \"A\" level were scattered in various parts of the country. Students were enroled in such institutions and they would interact with other students living in the same region. This increased cohesion, promoted and created a national outlook to issues. The students were able to understand one another. Then, the word \"tribalism\" was talked about with less degree than it is done today. The \"A\" level studies allowed subject choices; a student was not prejudiced whether to study the science or the arts subjects . This meant that someone would specialise in some of these subjects in the \"A\" level and pursue the same at the university level. In that regard, we had graduates who specialised in either the arts or the science based subjects. Today, a lot of emphasis is being put in some subjects, which later on frustrate our students. Newly registered schools are being forced to offer science subjects such as Physics, Biology and Chemistry which are compulsory under the 8-4-4 System of Education. When students do not perform well in the \"O\" level, in the 8-4-4 System of Education, they are frustrated because they fail to secure a place in the university. I am, therefore, urging that if the 8-4-4 System of Education was abolished, we would have students pursuing either the arts or science subjects depending on how well they perform in either of them. If they perform well, they proceed to university to pursue a degree related to either the arts or science subjects. This is one of the reasons why I felt it is necessary that the Government re-introduces the former system. This system encouraged students to study up to the \"A\" level and then proceed to the university. This is not happening today. In our current system of education, we have observed that students stop their studies at Form Four because they are not able to pursue the compulsory subjects. Unfortunately, that is not their fault, but of the system, which can be changed. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we note that from 1985, several commissions of inquiry have been put in place, so that we amend and streamline the current system of education. There are many students who are not proceeding to university because the grade to join university is very high. Today, the grade to join the university is a B plus of 79 points. It is very hard for students to continue with this kind of education. This has resulted in students moving to other countries such as Uganda and Tanzania for further studies. We have seen a situation where the Government is losing too much money to those countries and that is why I am seeking leave from this House that we introduce \"A\" levels so that those students who are not able to join university can continue with Forms V and VI, just the way they do in Uganda and other neighbouring countries. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, when we get those students out there, they will be forced to continue with Forms V and VI and later on proceed to join Makerere University and other 4178 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 6, 2006 universities even here in Kenya. So, this negates the same principle that was made to benefit the students in our country. The moment we do not have Form Four leavers joining university, the rate of production of our \"O\" level students will be very high to a point where at one time, we will be seeing like we are sitting on a time bomb which will explode because most of these students will be stressed, and of course, they are stressed already because the number of subjects that they are supposed to take are too many. The Koech Report which was there two or four years back recommended the reintroduction of the 7-4-2-3 System of Education but nothing much has happened. I would, therefore, urge the Government to take over and see to it that the system which stresses most of the students, frustrates most of the teachers and which also frustrates most of the parents, by making students not even proceed after Form Four is done away with so that we have those students continue with further education both here and out. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, you know that when these students go up to Form Six, they will now have better combination of subjects and they will have realised their intellect and skills that they can even pursue after leaving school Form Four. In this regard, you will realise that students will always pursue subjects of their choice but not what they are made to pursue in their \"O\" level, having not even thought about it. In terms of age, students also grow, and when they leave Form Four at 17 or 18 years and they do not proceed to Forms V and VI, it means that they will have two years short. The rate at which students now are leaving school after Form Four is very high and unemployment rate has also been created leading to a lot of stress and frustration by the same student body. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in 1989, we had double intake at the universities. This is when the \"O\" level and \"A\" level students leavers were all admitted. From that time, we have had problems with double intakes up to date. This is why the university places are even pegged on bed capacity. This has frustrated very many students, and that is why they have been leaving this country to go to neighbouring countries. I would, therefore, imagine that any country that has been independent for the last 40 years should be able to come up and evolve a system which is relevant to the economic and social needs of our country. The only system which is fair is that one which will open up the students to the faculties of higher learning, and this one can only be done when we have some of the schools that were reserved for \"A\" level studies revived. Of course, the Government has done that. All we need to do is to enforce it. They have done it through the establishment of two centres of excellence in every district. You wonder what the two centres of excellence will be doing if they will not be furnishing students before they proceed to Forms V and VI. The same has happened in Uganda and Tanzania where students are prepared adequately before they proceed to the universities. In this regard, I note that the subjects of study which are there have increased in \"O\" levels, and when the students go to university, most of these subjects are dropped and not many students can even get places. I am, therefore, asking Members to find it possible to contribute to this Motion so that we can increase the years to Forms V and VI so that those students who complete \"O\" level studies will find more time to prepare as they proceed to the university. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, most neighbouring countries, for example, Tanzania and Uganda have the same system. The same system has now denied most of the Kenyan students who are here to even advance further to overseas universities. That has continued to add more frustrations to our students. In Uganda, for example, those students who move from Kenya to join \"A\" level in Uganda will end up undertaking the \"A\" level studies the same time with students who are in Kenya, who will have been left behind by two years, meaning that the time span which is in Kenya and Uganda is compensated by that student who gets to Form Six and the same student in December 6, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 4179 Form Six will be superior in terms of subject choices than one who will be here in Kenya. The other thing is that when we consider the number of students who do KCSE, they are very many; over 150,000 students sit the same exam and only 10,000 are admitted to our local universities. This is as a result of the structure of education that we have had. The structure is such that the students who are from rural areas will never access the university places because of the subject combination. They are supposed to take two languages, that is English and Kiswahili; Mathematics, which is compulsory, they are supposed to take two sciences, which are compulsory and may be one or two practical subjects. Not many schools in our country can afford to do those subjects at a go. So, what you find is that those students who study in national schools and very good provincial schools are the only ones who will end up getting to the university and the same students who end up completing the university. They are the same students who will even end up doing professional courses in the university. So, this one now will create corruption in our country, where those students who can afford to continue with education proper, both in national and provincial schools will continue even doing better professional studies in our universities. That means that a time will come when the haves will continue having and the poor will continue being poorer, because of the system of education that we have. So, let our students, particularly in the rural areas who, otherwise, would have continued with the university education be given another chance to try may be in Forms Five and Six as we abolish the 8-4-4 System of Education so that we can reintroduce the 7-4-2-3 System of Education. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, this a system where, if students from Kenya want to continue with international studies, they are forced to do two years after Form Four. So, why do we not then introduce the two years here so that we are in conformity with international education standards, so that as soon as we have our students leave Form Six, that student can either go to the university in Kenya or overseas or even in our neighbouring countries. This system has also isolated us in the East African Community. The Departmental Committee on Education, Research and Technology, to which I belong, visited Uganda and Tanzania, and they were laughing at us. They were asking us why are we now asking about East African Community if we cannot even harmonise the education system in East Africa. So, if we want to have mobility of our students; credit transfers from one university to another, the only thing that can happen is that we have to harmonise the education programmes in the East African region so that students or even lecturers can have exchange programmes and that way we are going to promote our education system in a better way. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, education is a very important aspect. We need to think about it so much so that we do not make trials and errors such that at one time we have this system and another time we have the other. The moment we have a system which is adopted by many countries in the world, which is dynamic and working, let us go by that. The system which is better is that one which exposes our students from our country to our neighbouring countries and even internationally. I would, therefore, urge the Government to think about it and come up with measures which are in line with the world. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, you will note that after Form Four, somebody has to get a job. The kind of education that we are offering is not marketable. You find that the market for our Form Four graduates is not there because of lack of specialisation. If we have to go to specialisation and we have our institutes of higher learning, we are going to have specialised skilled labour which, our course, will be created by our education system. That is the system we are now talking about. I believe that the Government will take keen interest in it and review the current system of education so that we are not isolated internationally. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is important to note that the current wave of problems that we have in this country are as a result of our education system. The system is 4180 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 6, 2006 stressful because students are made to study so many subjects. In the evening, after school, children are unable to play. We all know that all play and no work makes Jack a dull boy. So, we need to involve the ego, super ego and the id of the child as he or she grows up. We need to give children some breathing space apart from studying only. The problems facing our youth presently are as a result of the education system that they have to go through. If we are really serious about the future of this country, we need to review the current education system. It is a system that produces a frustrated lot of students. Unfortunately, they are the same people who will grow into adults with no sense or essence of living in this country or associating well with others. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, several reports have been written with regard to our education system. They include the Mackay Report, the Koech Report and the Sagini Report which was about rampant indiscipline in our schools. All these reports criticised the current education system. The reports indicate that our current education system has reduced very many students to robots. Only a few students excel and manage to secure places in excellent schools. This is really the crux of the matter. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, if we really intend to benefit all students in all corners of this country, then we need to adopt a system that will tap the brains, skills and talents of all our students out there. We need to identify the skills and talents in our students, say music or drama, so that we give them a chance to exploit them after completing their Fourth Form. The 8-4-4 System of Education does not allow for that. The system only allows students to be combined and tested after Form Four something which limits the performance of talented students. If this system could be reviewed so that we reintroduce the \"A\" Level Studies, the students who are talented in various fields will continue to excel in those fields. That way, we shall be able to nurture the talents in the students thus developing a better student lot that will benefit this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Sagini Report of 1990 was mandated to look at why strikes were rampant in this country then. The cause of those strikes, it was found out, was the 8-4-4 System of Education. Students were not happy with what they were being offered in their schools. Most of them attended school in their local areas because they had graduated from a primary school to a secondary school in the same area. That made students not integrate well with others. If the 7-4-2-3 System of Education would be reintroduced and revised, this kind of problems would not arise. The situation would be such like a student from Nyanza Province going to school in Central Province or a student from Coast Province going to study in a school upcountry and vice versa. That is what used to happen before. It will also minimise strikes and other problems we are now faced with and which are related to tribal feelings and sentiments. The 7-4-2-3 System of Education is being recommended so that we can move ahead as a country and think like nationalists. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, finally, I would like to urge hon. Members to understand that the society is dynamic because of the dynamic education in that society. The pride of a country is so much pegged on the pride of the education system in that country. Our current education system negates the principle idea of giving quality education to a child right from primary school to university. I have highlighted the demerits of this education system and, therefore, urge the Government to come up with a better education system. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those remarks, I beg to move and ask hon. Capt. Nakitare to second."
}