{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=137778","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=137776","results":[{"id":1394181,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394181/?format=json","text_counter":336,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Machogu","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for Education","speaker":{"id":13458,"legal_name":"Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki","slug":"ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"},"content":" Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. That is better."},{"id":1394182,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394182/?format=json","text_counter":337,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Machogu","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for Education","speaker":{"id":13458,"legal_name":"Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki","slug":"ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"},"content":"The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1394183,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394183/?format=json","text_counter":338,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Machogu","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for Education","speaker":{"id":13458,"legal_name":"Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki","slug":"ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"},"content":"Kirinyaga University is a chartered public university since 2016 and the total number of staff at this particular university is 284. Out of these 284 staff, 69 are from the local community, that is, Kirinyaga County, whereas 215 are from other counties across the country. The total number of support staff is 48. Out of this, 30 are from the local community, that is, Kirinyaga County, which represents 62.5 per cent. The total number of clerical and administrative staff is 116, and out of this, 27 are from the local community, that is, Kirinyaga County. That represents 23.27 per cent. The total number of academic staff is 120, and out of this, 12 are from the local community, which again translates to 10 per cent. I have shown a schedule which is indicating clearly on this particular distribution. In the second part of the question, I would like to state that the University Act is very clear that the responsibility of employing any staff of a university is given to the University Council. Of course, we are aware that the Constitution of Kenya in Article 232, provides that values and principles of public service. Particularly when it comes to matters of recruitment, we must take into consideration the following factors - (a) Fair competition and merit based on appointment and promotion. (b) It must be representative of Kenya’s diverse communities as well as afford adequate and equal opportunities for appointment, training and advancement at all levels. Again, when you come to Section 7 of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, it reinforces this provision of the Constitution, which clearly states that we must seek to represent the diversity of the people of Kenya in the employment of staff and that no public establishment shall have more than one-third of its staff from the same ethnic community. Therefore, the university being a State Corporation, bound by all these public sector laws on recruitment and employment of staff, we are also ensuring that we comply as much as possible as far as this is concerned. There is no policy apart from the laws that I have stated that says employment must be of a fixed quota from the local community. However, generally, the lower cadre, which is from Grade Two to Grade Eight, which comprises the support staff and junior administrative staff, normally originate from the locality of the university. Consequently, this is not only for Kirinyaga University, but all over other public universities. You can see that the lower cadre staff of Kirinyaga University are 6.5 per cent, who originate from the local community, which is Kirinyaga County. The impact on the local community is another set of Question One. I would like to state that the local community is very important in the context that it is within that particular community that the university operates. Of course, it is that particular community that has to create a conducive environment for the university and in particular the security and safety of the students, even as they go out of campus once in a while, as we also rely on the local community. Therefore, their support is very critical. It is also very clear that if universities provide"},{"id":1394184,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394184/?format=json","text_counter":339,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Machogu","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for Education","speaker":{"id":13458,"legal_name":"Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki","slug":"ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"},"content":"The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1394185,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394185/?format=json","text_counter":340,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Machogu","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for Education","speaker":{"id":13458,"legal_name":"Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki","slug":"ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"},"content":"employment opportunities in the lower cadre that I have said, it is the local community that can benefit. Additionally, even when there are casual employment opportunities, the members of the local community, particularly when we have any construction sites within universities, which as you are aware, have been quite a number and even for the university’s funds, we engage casual employees from the local community. Also, the universities impact very positively on the local communities because they offer business opportunities such as accommodation hostels for the university students and staff. Also, the normal supplies to the university are done by the communities. From a policy standpoint, we always encourage universities to engage in research and community outreach, such that the findings of any research done can be of impact to the surrounding local community. For instance, if you go to the University of Dedan Kimathi, you can see the kind of engagements they have done in matters of coffee growing and the great impact that it has had on the surrounding communities. I think we have covered all the areas in that particular Question. I would like to go to the other section, also on Kirinyaga. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other one is about what the national Government is doing to establish a national Polytechnic in Kirinyaga. As we are all aware, in 2016 the Government came up with a policy of establishing at least one national polytechnic in every county. This was focusing on the constitutional principles of equity, regional balance and devolution of services. Alongside this, there was also a sub-policy of establishing at least one Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institution in each constituency in all our 290 constituencies. As of now, with effect from 2016, immediately there were parameters and there was a clear criterion given which TVET institution will qualify to be in a national polytechnic status. Among the criteria that we followed was that the acreage must be a minimum of 50 hectares and they must have a title for that and accreditation from the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) for the programmes that they offer, which must be approved. Additionally, it must also be situated in high potential area where there is demand for TVET courses. Of course, once we establish a national polytechnic, there must be a request from the local stakeholders for the establishment of a national polytechnic. In the case of Kirinyaga, we have three Technical Training Institutions (TTIs). One is Kirinyaga Central TTI, which is in Kirinyaga Central Constituency, where we have only 93 trainees. The next one we have is in Mwea Constituency, the Mwea TTI, which has 232 trainees. The third one is in Ndia TTI, and it has only 594 trainees. The one which is undergoing construction is the Gichugu TTI, which is 80 per cent complete. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, out of these four, we have not as yet received any such application for the settlement, so that we can undertake the necessary process that TVET undertakes for it to be known whether it qualifies for a national polytechnic or it does not."},{"id":1394186,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394186/?format=json","text_counter":341,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Machogu","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for Education","speaker":{"id":13458,"legal_name":"Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki","slug":"ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"},"content":"The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."},{"id":1394187,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394187/?format=json","text_counter":342,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Machogu","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for Education","speaker":{"id":13458,"legal_name":"Ezekiel Machogu Ombaki","slug":"ezekiel-machogu-ombaki"},"content":"Last year, apart from the eight that were started way back in 2016, we established 13 more national polytechnics. So, in total, we now have 24 national polytechnics in 22 counties. There are 25 counties that are yet to apply for national polytechnics. As far as Technical Training Institutes (TTIs) are concerned, we have 237 TTIs in our 237 constituencies. We have 52 to go. In this particular Financial Year, we got funds to construct 15. After this Financial Year, we will remain with the 37. Progressively, as we get funds, we want to build one in each and every constituency. I submit, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir."},{"id":1394188,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394188/?format=json","text_counter":343,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Kathuri","speaker_title":"The Deputy Speaker","speaker":{"id":13590,"legal_name":"Murungi Kathuri","slug":"murungi-kathuri"},"content":" Okay. Let us get the other Question from Sen. Oketch Gicheru."},{"id":1394189,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394189/?format=json","text_counter":344,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Question No. 034"},{"id":1394190,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1394190/?format=json","text_counter":345,"type":"heading","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"INFRASTRUCTURAL PREPAREDNESS FOR CBC"}]}