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"id": 238775,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/238775/?format=api",
"text_counter": 198,
"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. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I wish to record my gratitude for the opportunity to move Vote R31 and D31 for the Ministry of Education. However, I want to commend His Excellency the Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs who is the Leader of Government Business and you for accommodating me because I know that hon. Members of this august House, including the two of you, were very anxious that this Vote should come at the time it was arranged and because of circumstances that were beyond me, I was unable to move it. I did actually state to His Excellency the Vice-President to intervene and I am grateful that I have been given this opportunity. However, I am aware that issues to do with parliamentary business must take precedent. So, I do sincerely apologise. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, before I present these Estimates, I wish to thank the hon. Members for approving our policy document in the form of Sessional Paper No.1 of 2005 which outlines the policy framework and direction on education, training and research for Kenya in the 21st Century. Subsequent to the approval of the Sessional Paper, my Ministry launched the Kenya Education Sector Support Programme (KESSP) which is the first phase of the implementation framework expected to operationalise the strategies highlighted in the Sessional Paper. The first year of the implementation went on well and remains on course. The programme is based on the premise that quality education and training contributes to enhance equity, economic growth and expansion of employment opportunities thus reducing poverty. On this basis, KESSP provides a clear road map for sector development and it is intended to facilitate the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and education for all. In addition, it aims to harmonise financial and procurement systems in the sector and enhance mobilisation of resources to support education and training through a strong national ownership and partnership among all stakeholders. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to point out that, that programme, which will be implemented over a period of five years - from now to the year 2010 - is very ambitious in terms of cost. It is estimated to cost over Kshs500 billion. With that in mind, I take this opportunity to, once again, appeal for support from all our partners to meet the challenges that we set in financing that important programme. Our vision, as a Government, continues to be the provision of an all- inclusive quality education, which is accessible and relevant to Kenyan needs. That vision is based on our recognition that quality education, training and research are critical to national development. Of particular significance to us is the need to ensure that we empower learners to acquire knowledge and skills that will enable them to make appropriate career choices. For that reason, the Government will continue to undertake major sectoral reforms to ensure improved collaboration, 3026 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 18, 2006 harmonisation and regular consultations between the stakeholders. In that respect, we continue to work closely with our development partners and other education and training stakeholders through regular consultative meetings on various sectoral development issues. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as a Ministry, we are firmly committed to ensuring that we consolidate the gains that have accrued from the implementation of the free primary education. We intend to address the key sectoral issues by strengthening the management and delivery of education services. In particular, we are committed to improving access, quality and relevance of education and training. To implement that programme, the Government is, therefore, fully aware that, to stay on track towards meeting ERS, FA and MDG goals, investments in the short, medium and long term are necessary. It is critical to work towards ensuring quality and improved access to education, especially for about 1 million school-aged children in the urban slums, pockets of poverty and ASAL areas, who are still out of school. Many children in urban slums and ASAL areas are still out of schools due to lack of enough day and boarding schools, respectively. In addition, many old primary school buildings are in a poor state of repair and lack enough classrooms and toilets for the increasing number of children. It is also the case that, in many remote areas, the school environment is hostile to the growing number of girls because the necessary sanitation facilities are not yet in place. In addition, there is need to address the needs of orphans for training and learning beyond primary education. It is also the case that secondary and university sub-sectors are experiencing serious challenges with regard to their poor state and limited facilities. All that cause the unsatisfactory transition rates to secondary and higher levels of education. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the last financial year, the Government provided Kshs700,000 per school for the two best performing schools in each district, for the construction of additional classrooms. The schools were identified by the district education boards, where all Members of Parliament are active participants. Those funds will assist the schools to put up additional facilities needed for both expansion of access and quality assurance. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Members will recall that we promised to review the current legal framework governing the sector. I wish to report that a team of senior professionals and experts have reviewed all the relevant legislations, and are currently working on draft Bills. Once ready, we shall request this august House to debate and pass a new law for that sector. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Members will also recall that His Excellency the President appointed a board to review the current status of our university education and make appropriate recommendations. The team is currently finalising the report. We shall use the report to develop a new strategy for higher education. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Members will recall that the Kshs800 million for Secondary Schools Bursary Fund was initially transferred to the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) by the Ministry of Finance during this financial year. I have, however, since received assurance from the Treasury that my Ministry will continue to administer that Fund. The Treasury will shortly be releasing the funds to my Ministry. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, during this financial year, my Ministry has been allocated Kshs92,950,520 in the Recurrent Vote and Kshs6,036,954,353 in the Development Vote. The Recurrent Estimates reflect an additional Kshs5,888,848,610 from last year's budgetary allocation of Kshs87,061,671,390, while the Development Estimates reflect a decrease of Kshs1,828,380,365 over last year's allocation of Kshs7,865,334,720. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in this regard, I now wish to highlight the major programmes in my Ministry's budget, where the above resources will be applied. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, under Vote R31, the Ministry's Recurrent Vote is made up of six Sub-votes, and the allocation of Kshs92,950,520,000 is distributed as follows:- (a) Sub-vote 310 - General Administration and Planning, caters for teachers' salaries and October 18, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3027 other administration costs. Under this Sub-vote, the Ministry will require a total of Kshs70,594,772,374, distributed in the following expenditure Heads:- (i) Head 731, which represents Development Planning Services, will receive Kshs58,992,936. The budget under this Head caters for the cost of running the Ministry's Central Planning Unit. (ii) Head 834 - Headquarters Administrative Services will receive Kshs357,197,160. This Vote Head caters for the expenses of the Headquarter's support department like administration, finance, accounts, personnel, procurement, et cetera . (iii) Head 839 represents the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). The KNEC will receive Kshs367,500,000. These are grants given to the KNEC to supplement fees collected from candidates to run national examinations and expenses of the Council's secretariat. Head 841 concerns the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The Commission will receive Kshs67,913,603,341. This allocation is intended to service both the TSC secretariat and payment of teachers' salaries. During the current financial year, the Government will spend close to Kshs60.4 billion on teachers' salaries which include Kshs4.9 billion, which is the fourth phase of the negotiated salaries award between the Government and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT). Head 845 concerns the Schools Audit Unit. This unit will receive, Kshs60,241,275. The allocation under this Head facilitates the activities of the schools audit unit which is charged with the responsibility of auditing all public schools and colleges. Head 863 represents the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE). This Institute will receive Kshs266,089,835. The budget under this Head covers personal emoluments and other operating expenses for the KIE which is charged with curriculum development and school broadcasting service. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Sub-vote 311 which mainly includes funding of free primary education and other core poverty alleviation programmes under the Directorate of Basic Education will require Kshs9,244,474,096 in the following areas: Head 810, which represents post primary schools will receive Kshs100 million. These funds will be given as grants to special post primary schools which cater for children with special needs. These include the Karen Technical Institute for the Deaf, Nyangoma Technical Institute for the Deaf and Machakos Institute for the Blind. Head 811 represents special secondary schools. These schools will receive Kshs8 million. These funds will be given as grants to special secondary schools which include Thika Secondary School for the Blind, Joy Town Secondary School for the Physically Handicapped and many others. Head 816 represents training field services mostly to cater for Early Childhood Development (ECD). The ECD Programme will receive Kshs50,448,216. The allocation mainly caters for expenses for in-servicing of pre-school teachers under the ECD Programme. Head 844 represents the Directorate of Basic Education. This Head will receive Kshs8,363,801,687. Under this Head, the main cost relates to teaching and learning material grants to all public primary schools under free primary school education programme. Part of the cost also relates to the administrative costs for the Directorate of Basic Education. In the current financial year, an allocation of Kshs8.2 billion will finance free primary education and Kshs234 million will be utilised in rehabilitation of primary schools and Kshs200 million will be given as a grant to low cost boarding primary schools in ASAL areas and other pockets of poverty. Head 846 represents the School Feeding Programme (SFP). It will receive Kshs202,134,521. This allocation covers the cost of distribution of food stuff donated by the World 3028 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 18, 2006 Food Programme (WFP) to schools under the SFP in ASAL areas and other pockets of poverty. Head 847 is for primary teachers training colleges. This Head will receive Kshs177,716,000. The funds under this Head will be disbursed as grants for the running of primary teachers training colleges. Head 848 is for special primary schools. They will receive Kshs200 million. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, hon. Members will know that we have many primary schools and special units that cater for children with special needs. The funds under this Head will be disbursed as grants to these schools and units. Head 852 represents the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE). It will receive Kshs70,373,672. The allocation under this Head is a grant to the institution to cater for its administrative costs. Head 836 represents the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards which will receive Kshs142,939,372. The allocation under this Head caters for the salaries and other operational costs of the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards at the headquarters as well as in the field. Head 800 represents the board of governors maintained schools. They will receive Kshs218,978,000. Hon. Members will observe that in the Printed Estimates, funds under this Head have been reduced from last year's Kshs8.8 billion to Kshs218,900,000 following the transfer of the bursary fund to the Constituencies Development Fund. As I have indicated elsewhere in my statement, the Government has put back the management of the bursary fund under my Ministry. In addition to bursaries, other expenditure under this Head will include grants to secondary schools for gratuity payments to members of support staff employed before the Government stopped giving grants to secondary schools for employment of support staff. Another cost will be insurance cover for institutional vehicles. Heads 803 and 807 represent the Kenya Science Teachers College and Kagumo Diploma Teachers College respectively. Both of these institutions will receive Kshs105,866,485. The allocation under the above Heads will cater for grants to the two diploma colleges for the administrative costs and Kshs40 million under the Kenya Science Teachers College for the promotion of teaching of mathematics and science subjects under the SEMATA Project in collaboration with the Government of Japan. Head 835 represents the Directorate of Higher Education. It will receive Kshs316,076,635. This is an allocation for the administrative costs for the Directorate of Higher Education. The allocation includes research funds of Kshs71 million to facilitate research programmes in our universities while Kshs100 million will be required for strengthening of training of education managers through the Kenya Education Staff Institute. Heads 837 and 862 represent the provincial and district education services respectively. These will receive Kshs1,434,913,609. The allocation under this budget will cater for administrative costs for the running of our provincial and district education services respectively. This will also include inspection of schools to ensure that quality in education as well as audit services at the provincial and district levels are maintained. Head 838 represents the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO. It will receive Kshs72,730,904. This allocation will cater for the cost of running the Kenya National Commission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which is a Government agency charged with the responsibility of co-ordinating education matters in liaison with the UNESCO offices in Paris. It will also take care of the cost of running the recently created office of the Permanent Representative to UNESCO in Paris, France. Head 853 is for bursaries, subsidies and support to education attaches. The attaches will receive Kshs331,674,116. The allocation is for bursaries and scholarships for university level of October 18, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 3029 education and administrative costs of our education attaches in Kenya's missions abroad. Head 854 represents contributions towards local and international organisations. This will receive Kshs69,706,747. The allocation, of course, is for payment of subscription fees to local, regional and international organisations. Sub-Vote 313, is for higher education. The University education sub-sector will receive a total of Kshs11,755,830,941. This allocation will be spent as grants to the Commission for Higher Education, the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and the seven public universities, whose allocations are as follows. The Commission for Higher Education will receive Kshs165 million; University of Nairobi will receive Kshs3,269,862,503; Kenyatta University will receive Kshs1,558,109,759; HELB will receive Kshs1,039,494,655; Egerton University will receive Kshs1,750,137,203; the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology will receive Kshs914,167,121; Maseno University will receive Kshs763,003,205; Moi University will receive Kshs1,851,581,916 and the Western University College of Science and Technology, which is the last one, will receive Kshs444,474,970. Under HELB, there is an allocation of Kshs867,902,862 for loans, Kshs82,387,047 for bursaries to university students and Kshs89,204,355 will be a grant to HELP for its administrative costs. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, under Sub-Vote 314, Director of Policy and Planning, I will require Kshs167,081,234 for capacity building in information and communication technology, education management systems, administrative costs and HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns among other expenses. Vote D31 is Development Expenditure. Having outlined my Ministry's requirements for this financial year for Recurrent Expenditure, I now turn to Vote D31 for the Ministry's development requirements for the 2006/2007 Financial Year. Under this Vote, I will require a total of Kshs6 billion, with the Government and donors contributing Kshs987 and Kshs5 billion respectively. The amount is distributed under the following Sub-Votes. Sub-Vote 310, general administration and planning, will require Kshs393 million to utilise under the following expenditure heads. Head 839-Kenya National Examinations Council, has an allocation of Kshs110 million for the construction of the Second Phase of the Mitihani House Project. This project will ultimately ensure that the Council is placed under one roof as well as reduce the cost of printing examinations in this country. Head 841 is for the Teachers Service Commission, and we have given it Kshs200 million for its new building. Under Sub-Vote 311, which is for basic education, I will require Kshs2,600,016,993. Of this amount, Kshs1.9 billion and Kshs480 million will be in form of grants from the Department for International Development (DFID) and Canada respectively for financing KEBEP, particularly the free primary education related costs. In addition, Kshs50 million will be required for the completion of Taita Taveta Teacher Training College, with the balance of Kshs107 million being UNICEF grants to be spent on ECD activities in rural areas. Under Sub-Vote 313 - Director of Higher Education, I will require Kshs746 million. Out of this amount is a sum of Kshs165 million which will be spent to provide science laboratory equipment to our public secondary schools at the rate of 10 needy secondary schools in each district. The balance will be spent on various development projects in our public universities. I will table the list I have later, if hon. Members will want to know the details. In conclusion, owing to budgetary constraints, there are many stalled projects and programmes in all public universities which are not funded during this financial year. For this reason, we encourage individual universities to mobilise funds from their own resources to complete some of these stalled projects. The bulk of the above funds will be used for construction 3030 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 18, 2006 and rehabilitation of both primary and secondary schools to accommodate our new reform programmes. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I wind up, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of the above mentioned development partners in the development of the education sector, particularly to the on-going implementation of KEBEP. I would like to assure them, and all other stakeholders, that any funds extended to us will be utilised transparently, for the agreed purposes, and within the agreed modalities. With those few remarks, I beg to move."
}