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    "id": 670988,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/670988/?format=api",
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    "content": "Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) and the Muslim Education Council, one representative of the persons with disability, two members nominated by Primary School Head Teachers Association and the Secondary Schools Principals Association and the Deputy County Commissioner representing the national Government. Therefore, basically, it replicates the County Education Board at the sub-county level. The second provision is Clause 6. It amends the current Section 26 of the Basic Education Act and provides new sub-Sections. The new sub-sections provide for roles of county governments. In essence, that amendment compels the TSC to assign teachers to teach in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) facilities, village polytechnics, home craft centres and child care facilities. There is a big problem in terms of standards. As hon. Senators know, it is true that early childhood education as well as education in village polytechnics is a devolved function. It is also true that education policy and teacher issue through with the standards and teacher training is a function of the national Government. At the moment, across our counties, the quality, standards and compensation arrangement for teachers in early childhood institutions as well as village polytechnics is varied from county to county. Each county advertise different qualifications for ECDE teachers and criteria for instructors in village polytechnics. This is not good for the education of our country. The instructions that these children, pupils and students in village polytechnics and ECD institutions get should be standardized; one curriculum and as far as possible, the same teachers. So, this amendment which has been negotiated among stakeholders will ensure that the issue of allocation of teachers is borne by the TSC which is the constitutional organ; an independent commission that is supposed to deal with the issue of training, posting and payment of teachers’ salaries countrywide. Madam Temporary Speaker, Clause 7 amends Section 27 which is on the role of sponsors. As you are aware, religious institutions whether Christians or of Muslim faith, have played a huge and irreplaceable role in the promotion of education in our country. Since independence, many schools and education institutions have been under the sponsorship of religious institutions. This role has been symbiotic and supplementary to what the Government has been doing to promote education in our country. As Kenyans, we appreciate the role that has been played by churches, especially the Catholic Church and a number of other mainstream churches. Going forward, I hope we will see the newer churches which have been established recently to also engage in sponsorship and promotion of education in our country, especially with regard to supporting schools with pastoral programmes. It is not enough to teach a student mathematics, physics and civics. You also need to take care of the spiritual needs. I do not think the Government has any capacity to offer spiritual nourishment to students and pupils. It is in that connection that sponsors have for a very long time and in the future continue to play a critical role in the management and the support especially of a spiritual nature to our schools. So, clause 7 amends section 27 to allow sponsor to participate and offer proposals on matters of syllabus, text books, digital content during curriculum development. When there is a curriculum review taking place like recently there has been one in our country, where there is a spiritual sponsor, Christian or Islamic, they should have a role to comment on things to do with syllabi, especially the teaching of religious education, for 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"
}