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"id": 230551,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/230551/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Mwiria",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Education",
"speaker": {
"id": 190,
"legal_name": "Valerian Kilemi Mwiria",
"slug": "kilemi-mwiria"
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"content": " Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Angwenyi will still have an opportunity to contribute. First of all, I appreciate the comments from hon. Members on the issue of the 8-4-4 system of education, which we have discussed many times in the past. I would like to begin by talking about some misconceptions about this system. Some people say that the reason why there is unemployment is because of the 8-4-4 system of education. Unemployment would still be a problem even if we still had the A-Level system, because it has a lot to do much more with the economy than with the kind of education system that is in place. Unemployment has nothing to do with the education system. It is because we have fewer jobs now and that we have not done enough in terms of expanding opportunities for employment irrespective of the education system, which is not an issue. The same opportunities for training in terms of middle level skills are still available even for graduates of the 8-4-4 system. You can still go to Kenya Utalii College, you can join the police force, you can go wherever you want in terms of all the opportunities that are available. 4188 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES December 6, 2006 The second myth about this education system is that, the 8-4-4 system has introduced so much competition, that it has become much more difficult for young people and that it is really a struggle for them. It has been said that they are no longer children. In view of the limited places available for employment and post-secondary training, there would still be more competition now than there was those days. At that time, there were fewer schools and students and even the public school system was the main system. There were no academies as we know them now. These have come up because we have to compete for places that have become even more limited. In other words, these days, it has become more difficult to go to--- Even if you went to law school or medical school, it is much more difficult to become a successful lawyer or medical doctor because opportunities have become more limited. Therefore, because of the overall competition, we have to expect to have competition even at the level of our education system. It is not just our children who have to face this competition. In fact, in Japan, in terms of the difficulties that young people are experiencing because of the strains we are talking about here, so many of them even commit suicide because they cannot cope. So, it is a general problem that goes with competing for very limited places. That would have been the case even if we continued with the A-Level system, because the opportunities that are available are shrinking with time. The other issue is about inequality. It is said that with the 8-4-4 system, some areas get more disadvantaged. Yes, there is an extent to which that is true, especially in areas that do not have well-established schools. But, in terms of inequality, the problem is much more about equality in society itself which is translated into inequality even within all systems, including the education system. Those who are able, be they hon. Members or Ministers, will pass that advantage to their children. So, there will be differences just because we are passing over advantage. It is much more an issue of class differentiation, that is likely to continue, unless we address the issue at a much broader level beyond education. There is a perception that the 8-4-4 System of Education has promoted disunity; that we are much more divided because it restricts the admission of students to districts. It allows only 15 per cent of the students to be admitted from outside their respective districts. Let me correct that and say that, in the last few years, we have expanded that percentage to 35. There is much more that has been done to mix students from different districts in the last two years. But still, national unity has nothing to do with education. It has got a lot to do with the politics and politicians. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is very difficult for the education system to make national unity possible if the people who are seen to be the leaders are the ones who are dividing the country the most. Young people just go by what they see their leaders practise. Even if we speak to students all the time about why they should be united, it makes no sense if our political parties are divided along ethnic lines. When people are in positions of authority, they employ people on the basis of where they come from and so on. Likewise, if corruption is associated with ethnicity, it will be very difficult to expect that children from Kisumu, for example, will change if they go to Meru. It will be very difficult to convince our students at the university that they should be more national in outlook, yet, when they leave the university, they have to think who it is that they can contact from their home areas, so that they can get jobs. It will be very difficult if the Ministers who have responsibilities in the Government, appoint people in parastatals on the basis of the ethnic groups that they come from. So, if the leaders themselves are practising that, it will be very difficult for us to expect the education system to do any better. So, again, even if we continued with the 8-4-4 System of Education, we would expect the same. As long as the Bukusus are talking about FORD(K) as being their own party and the people of Mt. Kenya region are talking about---"
}