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{
    "id": 391709,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/391709/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 258,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Lesuuda",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13122,
        "legal_name": "Naisula Lesuuda",
        "slug": "naisula-lesuuda"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to this very important Motion and also to congratulate the Committee on Education, Information and Technology on their field visits to Kirinyaga, Nyeri and Laikipia counties. I would just like to pick up from where Sen. Ongoro left. Her contribution has been very insightful and also on the part of where she says that it would be important that we get a report on more than ten counties. I also note that this is phase two report meaning that they had tabled another report. I gather from Sen. Halima that they are going for another visit. There is some importance in what Sen. Ongoro has said where if it is a larger sample it would be easier for us to pick on a number of issues from different counties around the country. It is also important to sometimes get some contrasts of these counties in the report other than just telling us what is just in Kirinyaga or Laikipia, so that we can compare with other counties. It is important to note that education is quite important. It is a foundation to the well-being of our counties and our nation. I know that we have made several strides as a country, especially since 2003 after the introduction of free primary education. For many of us we thought it could not be implemented or cannot happen, but it did. This is an indication of the reflection of the resilience of the people of Kenya and the leadership that was ready to deliver. We are the first in the region to do so. I think we are the pace setters. I am actually happy when I see us making such steps in education in this country. There are some issues that are commendable in this report like starting to issue sanitary towels as part of free primary education. I know that this is something that the Ministry of Education has been doing. It is something that is being emulated by other African countries. Of course, we could do better than this. This is the third year that the Ministry has been giving free sanitary pads to primary schools. However, it is important to review and evaluate the progress. When we go around the counties, we hear that some schools have not been receiving these items. In some schools, you find teachers selling them. So, it is important for the Ministry of Education to actually review and evaluate this noble activity to make sure that it is reaching schools and students. They should also think about what happens during the school holidays because they only give out nine packets of sanitary towels. However, these last three months are very critical. They will be sitting for their national examinations and yet they do not have the sanitary towels. We need to evaluate and review some of the policies in place. It is important to note that we, as a country, have very good policies. For example, we have a policy which says that every child who has attained the age of enrolling in a school, must be in school. We must ask ourselves whether some of these good policies are implemented in our counties. Who is supposed to implement ECD programmes which fall directly under counties? Where I come from and in other pastoralist communities, many children who have attained the age of enrolling in schools do not go to school. This early childhood education is key because it sets the basis for the children as they go to primary school. Many children who get very good training at an early age do very well in primary and secondary schools. I urge county governments to implement the policy of compulsory education so that many children enroll in schools. They should work with The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}