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{
    "id": 546933,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/546933/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 363,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kipyegon",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1453,
        "legal_name": "Johana Ngeno Kipyegon",
        "slug": "johana-ngeno-kipyegon"
    },
    "content": "One important amendment to this Bill is the representation by the students. For a long time, the decision to award the students the loans has sorely been on the Board, which has never had membership from the students. Our Constitution has anchored the issue of inclusivity in everything. I wish to support hon. Kang’ata on the inclusion of students in determining how the loans are awarded, more so the question of students in public universities. We have always thought of students who are in regular programmes in public universities. We should also think of the students who are studying in private universities. These are citizens and residents of this country. They deserve to have equal opportunities in accessing education. There is no other way that we can allow them to access education other than giving them the opportunity to acquire loans. Loans are to be repaid. Everybody knows that. If you were to vie for any position or to be interviewed for any position in this country, you must show a certificate to prove that you have cleared the loans you acquired when you were studying in this country. This money is going to be paid back. Therefore, it should not be a hard issue for the Government to allow students to access these loans knowing very well that when they are employed, they will refund. I support the idea of including student representatives in the Board where they will be discussing who should access these loans. The second issue is the question of age limit. For a long time, we have been told that students who get admitted to universities before acquiring the age of 18 years cannot access these loans. There are so many bright students out there. There are pupils who will move from Class One, Class Two to Class Three without necessarily complete those years based on the fact that they are very bright. Worse is when the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Science and Technology gives an order; a presumed regulation that no student should sit for examination when he or she is below 18 years. We are going backwards in this country. There are students in this country who can sit for exams when they are 16 years old. Should we deny them that opportunity? Should it be based on the fact that people should proceed to a level at a certain age?"
}