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{
    "id": 685671,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/685671/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 304,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. A.B. Duale",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "Clause 11 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 35 of the Act. This is a condition to require universities to obtain approval of the Commission where they intend to establish governance organs, for instance, a board of trustees. If a university wants to have a board of trustees, then the Commission must be involved as a regulator. Clause 16 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 54 of the Act. This is just to clarify the provisions relating to the funding of public universities and the issuance of conditional grants to private universities. So, Clause 15 amends Section 54 of the current Act just to clarify what will happen in terms of the provisions of the law when we want to fund the public universities and when we want to issue conditional grants to private universities. Finally, Clause 16 of the Bill seeks to amend Section 56 of the parent Act. What does it do? It clarifies the role of the Commission and the role of the universities in admission and placement of students in colleges. That is being clarified. What is the role of the Commission and what is the role of the universities when it comes to admission and placement of students in universities and colleges? Clause 17 of the Bill seeks to provide a transitional provision before this law is assented to and comes into effect. This is a common feature in all Bills. It provides a transitional provision in order to preserve the academic programmes previously accredited or approved by the Commission. As we debate this Bill, there are certain functions that the Commission is already doing. So, to save that, Clause 17 has transitional provision to preserve academic programmes. Before I finish, it is very important to say that the universities of the yester years are not the universities of today. Some of us were lucky because we went to universities where we were given boom – money. The State was funding us. It was very hard to tell the son or daughter of a Minister from the son of a poor nomadic herder like me. Some of us used the little stipend we used to get to educate our brothers and sisters. Today, life in our public universities is very horrifying. The children of the rich are driving in limousines and the children of peasant Kenyans are struggling to make ends meet. It is the obligation of Government and this House to make sure that we provide state funding for our Kenyans who want to go to universities. The first time I paid back my loan is when I became a Member of Parliament in 2008. That is because after I left university, I decided to do my own businesses like running a kiosk and many other things. So, they could not trace me. But these days, they can trace everybody. Kenyans who passed through the universities and took loans have paid back. It is a system that is used everywhere in the world. I think the 11th Parliament will go into history if we introduce budgetary provisions through the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) so that each and every son and daughter of this country can get state funding to get university education. We can have free primary and secondary education. But, I am sure if we have a funding for state universities like it happens if a citizen gets free medical care, free education and, maybe, free housing; ultimately, that is when a nation says it has attained its growth and democratic levels. With those many remarks, I ask the Chairlady of the Departmental Committee on Education, Research and Technology, the great lady from Murang’a County, Hon. (Ms.) Sabina Chege, to speak after me and then Hon. Keynan. For whatever it takes, he spoke very passionately. I hope he will stop corruption in our country. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}