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{
"id": 236255,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/236255/?format=api",
"text_counter": 246,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Dr. Wekesa",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Science and Technology",
"speaker": {
"id": 209,
"legal_name": "Noah Mahalang'ang'a Wekesa",
"slug": "noah-wekesa"
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"content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that the Western University of Science and Technology Bill be now read a Second Time. Mr. Speaker, Sir, before I get to the nitty-gritty of this Bill, I want to inform the House that so far we have six public universities. These are: University of Nairobi, Moi University, Kenyatta University, Egerton University, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Maseno University. This Bill seeks to recognise and give credence to Western University College of Science and Technology as one of the seven public universities. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I also need to share information, which is in public domain, that we also have a category known as chartered universities. They are seven. These are, the University of East Africa, Baraton, the Catholic University Eastern Africa, Daystar University, Scot Theological College, the United States International University (USIU), Africa Nazarene University and the Kenya Methodist University, which got its charter this year. We also have a category of universities which have received letters of authority. These are, Kabarak University, the Aga Khan University, Strathmore University, Kereri Women's University, Gretsa University the and the Great Lakes University. Mr. Speaker, Sir, what this means is that Kenyans are becoming aware that acquisition of knowledge, particularly university knowledge, is crucial in the development of this country. In order to move towards the industrialisation of this country and education for all by 2015, it is important that public universities are supported by private universities. Indeed, this is the trend in most of both the Developed and Third World countries. We no longer depend on the Government- sponsored universities. Nationals in various countries are busy establishing private universities to boost public universities. Indeed, in Kenya we are moving towards that direction. If you look go to India, you will find that there is a plethora of private universities. So, as we address the issues of transition rates from secondary schools to universities, in Sessional Paper No.1 of 2005, we are saying that, we need to improve them. Currently, the transition rate is at 57 per cent and we hope that, very soon, we will attain the 70 per cent that is stated in the Sessional Paper. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this means that there will be greater need for establishment of universities. There will also be need for our young people to go to universities and attain degrees. Currently, as you are aware, only 10 per cent of young Kenyans attain university education at our public universities. This means that 90 per cent are seeking university education elsewhere. This is happening more and more as we address the issue of the quality of education and retention rates of our students at secondary schools. As the retention rates increase, we are going to have more and more of our young people needing university education. Mr. Speaker, Sir, part of the remaining 90 per cent access university education abroad. I want to recognise countries that are friendly to Kenya. These are countries that give us scholarships. Just to name a few, they include India, the United States of America (USA), Britain and, of late, more and more of our students are going to Australia. These are friendly countries that are making it possible for our students to get scholarships and access university education in these countries."
}