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{
    "id": 671015,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/671015/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 285,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13156,
        "legal_name": "Mutula Kilonzo Jnr",
        "slug": "mutula-kilonzo-jnr"
    },
    "content": ".: Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I rise to support this Bill from the outset. I would like to give my own reservations based on the experiences that I have had on basic education since my election. We call it basic education, but it is not very valuable to a majority of the students in both primary and secondary schools because of lack of facilities. We participate in the budget making process. Therefore, I know that somebody somewhere is not facilitating the secondary or basic education as it should be. There has been a clamour for education to be devolved. The reason that people are clamouring for education to be devolved is because it appears that the system is not working. The management of education at the national level does not appear to have any effect in some village somewhere in Makueni. As a result, basic education in Kenya, particularly in Makueni County is a mirage. It is not basic. I have looked at this Bill and it is yet another attempt by legislators to create as many structures as possible in an attempt to see whether we can achieve basic education. However, the basic minimum has not been achieved. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the functions of the county education board is to facilitate the full realization of the right of all children to access basic education. What does that mean in law? Facilitating is not making sure that every child attends school or that teachers are in school. However, facilitating is ensuring that each school has got books, laboratory equipment and basic minimum standards. I will propose an amendment on the functions of these county education boards. It is basic minimum standards for basic education. What is that? It means that every primary or secondary school lab must have five microscopes. Every school or lab must have a minimum of five Bunsen burners so that then we can talk about basic. Those are basics. When you upgrade, you ask whether a school has a library. That is beyond basic. However, for instance, does Class One have enough books to facilitate because it presupposes that this board must go beyond just merely doing technical things? It is providing even the funding. So, I will propose an amendment for basic evaluation. This county education boards must give a report whether it is to the Ministry of Education or Parliament but it must say, for instance, Makueni County has 900 primary schools and 339 secondary schools. In each school, First Schedule, what facilities do they have? For instance, on (a), tick, tick, tick. Then, this would be facilitation so that in the following year, this board is in a position to tell the Ministry of Education that for purposes of school “X”, there is basic education, we need you to do “X”, then our work as Senators and as oversight is to check that is done. It concerns me that in Clause 3(1)(l), we might in our quest, to attempt to have basic education, create discrimination when this Bill proposes that they shall maintain a databank of all students who are ranked first in the constituency in the national examination at primary level and who due to inability to pay school fees fail to gain entry or complete education in public secondary schools. Maybe the Senate Majority can answer this. What is the purpose of maintaining a databank of people who did not complete public secondary schools or maintain a data bank of persons in primary level 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"
}