HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept
{
"id": 255675,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/255675/?format=api",
"text_counter": 340,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Karaba",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 232,
"legal_name": "Daniel Dickson Karaba",
"slug": "daniel-karaba"
},
"content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this chance to contribute. I would like to confirm that the Speech by the President was excellent and to the point. March 28, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 131 The President said very clearly that we should be proud of the free primary education. It has been accepted by all the people in Kenya. But there has been an over-enrolment in primary schools, with some classrooms having over 250 pupils. My Committee discovered this problem in Butere- Mumias when we visited Western Kenya. One teacher was handling a class of 250 pupils. This is something that can be exemplified by the fact that this number compromises the quality of education. That is why I am asking the Government to step in and provide more teachers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, since the inception of free primary education, teachers have had it rough, with over-stretched facilities. This has led to very many pupils getting half-baked education and many people have now resorted to taking their children out of the country. Recently when we visited Uganda, we noted that more 45,000 students from Kenya are studying in that country. When you ask them why, they say that the cost of education in Kenya is either too high or the standards are low. I am, therefore, asking the Government to reduce the cost of education and attract more students. We also note that secondary school education has frustrated students. You will note that those joining public universities will have to score B+ and above. But majority of those who score below that mark will end up being condemned and they are the ones who throw stones in the streets. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is also important to note that our public universities are over- congested. That leads to inadequate provision of education and eventually half-baked graduates, which is counter-productive to our economy. I urge the Government to make sure that proper planning is done to provide free education in both primary and secondary schols and provide quality facilities in universities. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the CDF has given us a very great boost. It is true that CDF money has been used to put up very many schools in the country. But it has become very difficult to register a school. It takes almost one year to do it, yet it is only a file which is supposed to be opened. That is complicating our work as Parliamentarians. When the schools are constructed, it even becomes more difficult to get teachers from the Teachers Service Commission. We have a shortage of over 45,000 teachers. With such a huge shortage, how can we talk about education and economic development in this country? We must be daydreaming. We need to address the issue of shortage of teachers as a matter of priority. This is where development starts. This is something that the Ministry should come out clean on. The replacement of teachers should be an issue that will have to take about a year. What happens to that budget which is already allocated to the Ministry when the teachers have not been paid their salaries during that time when they are not working, or retired or retrenched? We need to be told the truth about what happens to this money. When we talk about developing a country like Kenya which at one time was at the same level with the Tiger countries, the only difference is that the Tiger countries put a lot of emphasis on education unlike what we did here in Kenya. We take it for granted. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, another thing that we need to note more about education is the level at which the Government comes in to assist. We have very many students who are unable to proceed with their education just because they cannot afford to pay for it. As a result, the drop-out rate is high. We have very brilliant students dropping out of schools. Those who can take their children to academies will have them go through good secondary schools and even universities; where they will acquire quality degrees. In the end, these are the same people who will rule us later. So if we are to talk about future development in this country, we need to take care of all the students who qualify from primary schools, so that they can join secondary schools and later access higher education. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to talk about the way we procure items for implementation of programmes in this country. It is a sad situation that it takes up to three years to procure electric 132 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES March 28, 2006 poles to connect power to schools, hospitals or people's homes. It has taken my constituents two years now to procure the same. We paid almost Kshs6 million and yet, up to now, power has not been connected. It has taken more than two years to buy a pole either from South Africa or Tanzania. If we have to take all these years to buy poles, surely, are we serious? Let us address ourselves to the Procurement Act and get serious about it, so that it does not take long to procure goods. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the 5 per cent growth rate is commendable, if it is true. This Government promised that the moment the economy improves, teachers in the country would be paid their salary increment. There are two phases remaining and that is what they are hoping will happen. I am, therefore, asking the Ministry to fulfil the promise that was made to teachers, that the moment we attain a 5 per cent growth rate, it will address itself to their pay package. We need not wait until they go on strike, and threaten the Government, to address their plight. The Government needs to take note that teachers have been harassed a lot. We all know that teachers are taking care of the free primary education programme in this country. They work for many hours, but they are not well remunerated. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, with those few remarks, I beg to support."
}