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{
    "id": 332062,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/332062/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 415,
    "type": "other",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "area that we have always longed for to ensure that all the programmes that are in our public universities are approved. This removes the challenge that some of our engineer students in some of our universities have been going through at their registration stage. Our universities have been starting programmes without bringing on board some of the regulatory bodies that are very important for this country. This Bill is also contemplating a very clear way of appointing the managements of our universities. Over the past, we have seen many people being appointed along political lines; maybe because you like somebody, you put him in a place where he may not be the right person. I want to thank the Minister for proposing that the management shall be appointed competitively. The other thing that we have here is that the Joint Admissions Board that has been trying to place students in our universities has been an anamorphous body. This Bill is contemplating the appointment of a Placement Board which will ensure that all actors in the education sector will participate in placing of our students in universities. The concern that hon. Odhiambo-Mabona raised will be addressed by this very important Board; it will ensure that our students will have a chance to decide in which areas they are good at. This Bill gives power to the President to put place specialized universities. This is very fundamental for our nation. Today, we may want to have certain specific personnel that we do not have in the country. If we want nuclear energy, for example, we should be in a position to establish a university to have our human resource developed there before we invest in nuclear, so that we do not again make use of foreigners in whatever programmes that we have as a country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on the issue of Vice Chancellors, I really want to thank His Excellency the President for appointing people to assist him as chancellors of universities. The President, of course, is a very busy person and all universities require somebody who is able to be in touch with the universities always. This Bill contemplates that the chancellors will be people of integrity and high academic qualifications. They will be appointed by the alumni. Mr. Speaker, Sir, as we pass this Bill, we, as a country, are aware that we belong to the global world and that the exchange programmes have really assisted many countries all over the world. We want to see the first exchange programmes coming to our universities courtesy of their competitiveness. We shall be proposing a few amendments. Just to mention one or two is on the selection panel of the commission for university education. I take note that the people who have been proposed in this Bill include the vice chancellors of our universities which is the same five chancellors whose programmes are to be approved by the same commission. So, we feel there is likely to be conflict of interest and, therefore, we will propose an amendment on the same. Mr. Speaker, two is what hon. Odhiambo-Mabona said. We have our eight universities and to make radical rapid changes immediately may not really be very good for us. So, we shall be proposing that maybe the current vice chancellors could be given a chance to complete their term before they are subjected to the procedures in the programme. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on the appointment of chancellors, what this Bill has proposed in the Second Schedule is a situation whereby the alumni of the university will pick one. If you look at Clause 4, it reads as follows:-"
}