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{
    "id": 440583,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/440583/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, when you look at the Report and the findings, now that we have the county governments, the Governors must address the issue of education from baby class going up. The ECD education is a very critical foundation. That is why you find many children who went through ECD doing very well because they, first of all, get that confidence and they are able to articulate issues when they get to Standard One, Two or Three. They will also love schooling. The other challenge is that as much as there is an opportunity when you start early, there is also a challenge when you do not start early. One would hate school especially when you go to a school where you are seating on the Floor and it is very cold in the morning and you have nothing to cover yourself. You will find yourself hating the school environment. Therefore, the school environment is very critical and that is why I appreciate the report that brings out environmental issues when they are enrolling their pupils. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I went to Tana River in 2012 and I met a few students, some of them girls in high school. I looked at them and wondered whether they really understand where they are heading to. It was a big challenge because most of them were worried more about what was happening at home than even in class. In their minds, they think about how their parents are suffering at home. That is how they end up in early marriages. When you look at the percentages of early marriages within the marginalized areas, they are so high. It is not their wish but because of the challenges that they face at that time. So, this Motion is very important. I want to thank the Chairman of this Committee because any Committee that the Senator for Nyeri has chaired, we have had very good case studies and county visits than any other. Even in our Devolution Committee which is supposed to be doing a lot in the Senate, has not done that. So, I want to thank them. We should start with Lamu County during our county visits. When we talk of education, this is the only sector that brings the rich and the poor on one table. I wish the county assemblies started embracing the different reports that we have. We should communicate back to them and give them feedback so that they can come up with legislation that can guide them at that level so that they are able to implement what we are trying to say instead of them going outside there to look for trips abroad. This is very sad and I know Kenyans read all these stories though I know the media can exaggerate, but not so when the report is from the Auditor-General. When discussing this issue of oversees travel, it should be dealt with wholesomely because we also travel a lot. We should really determine whether it is necessary to travel abroad. Sometimes you go to some countries and you feel that you are not wanted there because you have been there very many times. They even wonder what is wrong and yet we are asking for donor funding. As we seek for donor funding for the education sector, we should stay home and save that money for this purpose. We should do domestic tourism in this country so that we build this country and create employment for our people. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is a recommendation on employment and remuneration which is very critical to the teachers. I know we have gone further as parents to give tokens to teachers when they have performed well in the schools that some of us are parents. We can even decide to contribute as parents for teachers to go to Mombasa because of the good job they do. An ECD teacher is like a parent to the child. In fact, sometimes they even become more of parents than the real parents because from early morning to 3.00 p.m., this teacher will ensure that your child is able to write. We should embrace them knowing that we are what we are because of the teachers. I know there are some teachers who are rapists and alcoholics, but in terms of giving credit to an ECD teacher, it is very critical."
}