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"content": "school, there are no jobs and I can tell you that it is tough. There is a lot of downsizing happening in the private sector now, and it is always the younger people who are the low hanging fruit. Therefore, somebody has their degree, but they cannot get their job of choice. Worse still, we debated here in this House sometime back about the mass failure that happened to law students. There is then, of course, the question of the capacity of our tertiary institutions to prepare our young people for the job market that is now globally competitive, which has been raised here too. Today, when the committees on Education and Information, Communication and Technology were laying their reports for the quarter, they were asked if they can look into the institutions of higher learning. They were asked whether they can expand that scope of checking what is going on there, because a lot of questions are now arising to even the quality of education of our tertiary institutions and the readiness of our students and young people for the job market today. Therefore, imagine a situation where a young person has their degree, but they cannot get a job, because we know that, that is the true situation. We saw it on social media, that when Eka Hotel advertised some positions recently, there was a flood of young people looking for jobs. That is how desperate they have now become. These young people need to be empowered so as to do their own startups, become entrepreneurs and innovators. It is they who will employ the others when they become entrepreneurs, and there is no question about it. We have seen the global market of technology looking at Kenya and Africa, as whole, as potential business hubs when it comes to technology. When the former American President, Barak Obama, came here, he came with a delegation of over 200 American investors, who were all looking at entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities. Some young Kenyans benefited from these opportunities. However, the question still remains; how has the Government plugged into these ideas so that these opportunities are then accorded to our young people? Madam temporary Speaker, we actually have a Science, Technology and Innovation Act of 2013. I was shocked when I found this out, because I did not know it was there. Section 29 of this Act designates functions of the agency to develop and manage the Kenya National Innovations System; which include setting standards, creating linkages in the private and public sectors, scouting and nurturing ideas and establishing a database of innovations and others. Therefore, whereas we know that the Government has made certain strides towards helping the young people get jobs, this Motion is specifically looking at science and technology. We are looking at the opportunities for innovation. Madam Temporary Speaker, Section 32(2) of that Act enacts that two per cent of Kenya’s GDP is to be provided by the National Treasury every financial year to establish a National Research Fund (NRF). This, again, is a good provision. Section 40 recommends that the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) establishes a Museum of Science and Technology. This Act is of 2013, and we are now in 2019. Where are these facilities where young people can go and get inspiration or ideas on innovations when it comes to science and technology? The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}