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    "id": 442696,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/442696/?format=api",
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    "content": "and others. These commissions have produced reports addressing the whole issue of inequalities in education. However, in reality, those reports have never been implemented. This Motion is talking about coming up with a practical solution; that is having a boarding school in each of those wards. Boarding schools should be located in areas that are safe and accessible to the children so that as many students as possible can attend school. We are talking about communities that are so disadvantaged in many ways. They live in insecure areas. Many times they have problems of insecurity in those particular regions. Because of the harshness of life in these regions, pastoralists have to keep moving from one place to another to secure food for themselves and for their livestock. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, sometime back, mobile schools were introduced by the Government. We still need to get an evaluation of how progressive those mobile schools have been. Do they still exist or have they died off? Have they been effective? That is also another initiative that should be encouraged. We can also think of having mobile libraries so that people can actually read. It is not fair when a country develops and one region is completely left behind. This also brings social inequalities because if such a community is not able to make it or to change and make transformation for themselves, they will then have social stratification differentiated at specific points all across. Therefore, for those in marginalized areas, there are chances that you will have this reaching the highest pinnacle in stratification and being able to make a difference and getting into leadership so that they can actually translate that leadership into action. This becomes very difficult. So, this has to be looked at in detail. There is a lot of poverty among the pastoralists. Their children do not go to school because their parents cannot afford school fees. We should also look at the socio-cultural practices that happen in such communities where, for example, it is more important to herd or where it is more important for girls to be married off early at the age of 12 or 18 years because of poverty. These girls are getting married off when they are still children. They do not even know what marriage is all about. So, this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, affirmative action in this country has made a difference. The more affirmative action we have in whatever sector, the better, especially in the education sector. In the universities, affirmative action has helped to reduce the entry points for the female students. This has helped secure access for specific female students to those universities. In the same light, affirmative action, including this one we are talking about of having boarding schools in wards, will ensure that both boys and girls have access to education. This is because in those boarding schools, they will concentrate in their studies. They will also run away from poverty from their homes and they will see things in a new light. They will also be exposed to technology and achieve their dreams. In addition, they will meet children from neighbouring villages so that they actually see and hear how things are done. They will also begin to have a vision. That is the right of every child. I think that right to dream, want and have that fundamental human right is what is enshrined in Article 43(1) (f), which says: “Every person has the right— (f) to education.” 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."
}