Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 862209,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/862209/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 239,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13188,
        "legal_name": "Getrude Musuruve Inimah",
        "slug": "getrude-musuruve-inimah"
    },
    "content": "We do this knowing very well that one day we will hand over the mantle to them. Our children are our future and we must nurture them properly. Early childhood education can prevent far reaching consequences at an early age. For instance, we will avoid having deviant behaviour in our society if we instill discipline in our children at an early age. We will not have children misbehaving because they will learn values and other virtues from their parents and teachers. At the end of the day, they will grow up to be productive and respected adults in society. ECDE inculcates the culture of reading in our children. It motivates them from an early age to love books, learning and going to schools. If we do not take them to school at an early age, it will be difficult for them to cope and enjoy learning. That transition from early childhood to grade one is very important in a child’s life. If ECDE is appropriately done at early childhood, then at grade one, the children will not have difficulties. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, ECDE is also a constitutional right as stated in Article 43 of the Constitution. A right to education is a right for every child in this country. This Bill ensures that the county government plays a key role in ensuring that ECDE is implemented at an early age to the letter and at the right time. The county governments ensure promotion and protection of ECDE and make sure children access it in their respective counties. The Bill also calls upon parents to ensure that their children are in schools. The parental role of ensuring children access early education is very critical. There are some parents who are not very keen about taking their children to school. However, this Bill is now compelling them to ensure that their children go to school without failure. In a situation where parents are not keen about their children going to school, they will be fined. They will be taken to task so that they ensure that their children are in school. Apart from parents, the Bill is also speaking to head teachers. Headteachers must make sure that children remain in schools. If parents and headteachers insist on children learning at an early age, then children will have no alternative, but to love education. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, a good relationship between parents, teachers and children is important. It will make a child also love to read and always want to be in school. The Bill also speaks about issues of infrastructure. There are some ECDE centres where education is being conducted under a tree. There are no classrooms and the infrastructure is not appropriate even for the boarding facilities. This Bill compels county governments to ensure that they provide infrastructure for ECDE so that learning is not conducted under trees. If we have learning being conducted under trees, it defeats the purpose of us promoting ECDE. We, as Senate, are here to protect the counties and their interests. ECDE is one of the important issues in a county. This Bill is good because it is touching on issues that are pertinent in our counties. I also like the fact that this Bill is talking about provision of resources. It is important to talk about the provision of infrastructure but infrastructure alone cannot make a child perform well. We need infrastructure and resources and this is an issue that the Senate must intervene by interrogating the counties so as to ensure that there are enough and appropriate resources in Early Childhood Development (ECD) schools. We have to help the child to eventually have life skills which will help him as he transits from early childhood school to primary one and primary two. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}