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{
    "id": 443446,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/443446/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 271,
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    "content": "because of poor remuneration. So, there is no research taking place and people who have the appetite to do research go to South Africa or to some other countries. There is also another general inaccessibility of research materials in our institutions. The books we use were written long time ago. So we end up revisiting old books that were written many years ago for lack of funding. I recommend that we need to have dissemination of research findings through a department that has been established. Dissemination of information is very poor in this country. Sometimes universities come up with findings which are not related to what is happening on the ground. We need to strengthen and introduce research in basic education, colleges and other institutions. We need to introduce critical, independent and investigative thinking in our country. I do not know if you have watched some television programmes from First World countries where they teach children things that are practical. We can also do the same through our curriculum. We should cascade research to the lowest possible position, integrate research and related disciplines at all levels of education and training on what is required in the industry. Lastly, Madam Temporary Speaker, the Government should deliberately promote research through investment, creativity and also learning by discovering through participatory approaches. We have an institution on research and higher education where we were presenting a Motion on science, technology and innovation. Few findings have come out because little money has been channeled there. What other countries have done is that they allocate 2 per cent or 3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to research. If we have to do the same in Kenya, we would be talking about a staggering Kshs160 billion as opposed to the Kshs400 million that is allocated. In fact, previously, it was only Kshs10 million for the whole country, then it moved to Kshs200 million and now, it is Kshs400 million. Madam Temporary Speaker, right now, the Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) are going to India, Israel and other countries to see how those countries have invested in research. What can you go and see in a desert that cannot be seen in the semi- desert places we have here? If only we can invest in research, some of the things we are wasting money would not arise. We need to align research to tackling development challenges through education as the avenue to enhance national values and cohesion. We have a lot of research that has not been discovered in our counties. We keep talking about ethnicity and cohesion. One factor that will bring a lot of cohesion including achievement of social, economic and political goals or vision is by investing in research. We need to expand the knowledge so that our researchers can have new technology based knowledge. We have just talked about having fibre network and if it goes to all our institutions or schools, it would be very easy for students to use the internet and learn. Madam Temporary Speaker, we need to review all the previous Acts concerning science because they are obsolete. For example, the Scientific and Technology Act of 1980, Cap.250, needs to be revised. We also need to revise the National Museum of Kenya Act, Cap.216. We need to revise Books and Newspaper Act, Cap.11 and the Copyright Act, No.12 of 2001. All these need to be revised so that we align it to the desire--- 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."
}