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{
    "id": 729016,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/729016/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 274,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Billow",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 260,
        "legal_name": "Billow Adan Kerrow",
        "slug": "billow-kerrow"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise to support this Bill. The reason why I am laughing is the speed at which the Bill was moved. This is a very important Bill and it is one of the key responsibilities that have been given to county governments. It is true there are still grey areas between the county and the national Government, for instance, with the regards to the recruitment of teachers as well as other challenges with the county governments. I want to go as far as Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale in congratulating governors because the they have gone for the physical aspect of building the classrooms. However, ECD is a critical institution that goes beyond building classrooms. It is literally about investing significantly in human resource. That is the time to train these children before they go to school to inculcate values, develop the child’s mental capacity and ability to comprehend. Therefore, it is a very important institution. Madam Temporary Speaker, many of the challenges we have today in our primary schools is because of the poor transition like students leaving schools not having been properly grilled in this regard. For that reason, this is an important Bill. In many of the counties like counties in the northern Kenya, the early childhood programme is literally something that has been started after devolution. They did not exist before. There were no nursery schools and pre-primary schools. This is something new. This is an important Bill that addresses some of the key areas including ensuring that there are adequate learning institutions and facilities. It is the key responsibilities of counties and the Senate has done well to come up with this Bill. I am sure as we go forward, we have a greater responsibility to ensure that counties take those responsibilities. In addition, if they succeed in ECD and in this level of education, tomorrow when the Constitution comes up for review, Kenyans can look at it and say: “Yes, counties have succeeded in ECD, let us perhaps devolve the primary schools.” It is important that counties take this matter very seriously because it is either going to be the determinant of whether or not Kenyans should devolve the rest of the schools or education system in future. It may actually lead to devolution of further institutions of learning to the county governments. With those few remarks, I support."
}