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    "id": 594973,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/594973/?format=api",
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    "content": "provided for by the parents and the country at large, so be it, so that head teachers find it easier. They will not claim that they used money from parents to buy books or food. Madam Temporary Speaker, firstly, part of the amendment should ask the Government – because we are here under the mercy and courtesy of the Government – to make sure that education is free, leave alone the kind of cosmetic freedom which we have in the provision and waiving of examination fees. Let education be free from Form One to Form Four. If that is the case, then we will not have certificates piling in schools. Secondly, students are given loans by the Higher Education and Loans Board (HELB) when they get to universities. Nowadays, apparently anybody can get HELB loans as long as they can repay. That policy should be thought about because not everybody who gets to the university qualifies for HELB loan. HELB loans should be given to people who cannot afford to pay fees at the university. The surplus amount of money, if there could be any, should be channeled back to secondary schools so that we give HELB loans to secondary schools students who cannot afford to pay fees because that is a National Fund. If that happens, I am sure that we will not have problems of students completing Form Four without paying fees. Fees is statutory. People have to pay it so that it caters for their upkeep. They have to pay for education as a service. Without fees, it would be very difficult for a person to do the examination in order to get a certificate which would be required later. As much as we say that certificate should be released, it is also important for us, as the Senate, to come up with ways and means of helping the Government on how to retrieve certificates. The moment somebody is in Form Four and upon completion of examination, then, the next stage would just be to issue him or her with a certificate. However, surprisingly – I am telling you this because I have been a headmaster for a long time – you will find that some of the people who are able would never pay fees. I am telling you the truth. Some people would also hide and claim to be poor yet they are very rich. Some of them would claim that they are not employed yet they are self-employed or in businesses. We should be honest about that so that our children in school see that we are genuine and saying the truth. That is the society we want to live in and that is the Kenya we want. That is the spirit of this Motion. With that retrospect, we also need to blame the headship or leadership of schools because they need to understand who is not paying fees. This amendment will catch up with that person who thinks that he or she cannot pay fees. The person should be identified by the head teacher very early, according to the amendment by Sen. Musila. Fees should have been cleared by the time a boy or girl leaves Form Four to go the university or other jobs. The commitment would, therefore, be for a parent to pay for the services of education. By that time, a head teacher of a school would find it necessary to release certificates because it would be the commitment of the parent to pay fees later just like it happens with the HELB loan. HELB gives you a loan and after you complete your university education and get employment, you start repaying the loan three years later. That should also be the case for Form Four students so that we do not encourage parents who would not pay fees even when they have money. To me, that is a very sensitive issue. I would rather go for the amendment so that certificates are all issued. I do not understand what makes head teachers not to issue certificates even after several pronouncements in the country. There must be a reason for that. Let there be a probe to find out what makes head teachers not to release certificates. If it is about money which has not been paid 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."
}