{"count":1608389,"next":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=147864","previous":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/?format=json&page=147862","results":[{"id":1496822,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496822/?format=json","text_counter":44,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Joe Nyutu","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.56 (1) (a) to make a statement relating to a matter for which the Committee on Education is responsible. During the Motion on the current state of the nation, the Senate directed the Standing Committee on Education to liaise with the Minister of Education and other stakeholders with a view to resolving the concerns raised regarding Junior Secondary School (JSS) education, the new funding model for university education, and the acceptability of Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC). Mr. Speaker, Sir, the new university funding model was launched in 2023, following the recommendation of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER). It seeks to address challenges encountered by public universities and technical and vocational education institutions due to massive enrolment and inadequate funding. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the model is applied to students who qualified for placement through Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) in universities and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions. It provides for variable scholarship and loan funding based on a means-testing tool and prioritizes a student's financial need and separates placement from funding. The Committee on Education is currently inquiring into the implementation of this model and has consequently held a meeting with the key actors in its implementation. These actors include- (a) Universities Fund (UF) that grants scholarships to students. (b) Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) that extends loans to students. (c) KUCCPS that oversees the placement of students into higher learning institutions. During the meeting with the aforementioned stakeholders, the committee made preliminary observations on different challenges facing the implementation of the model and requested the Minister of Education to expeditiously address them. These challenges included- (a) Disparities to resource allocation from the use of Means-Testing Instrument (MTI) used to determine students' level of need. The committee observed that the approach used risk, underestimating the true financial needs of students who face 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":1496823,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496823/?format=json","text_counter":45,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Joe Nyutu","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"compounded challenges, thereby potentially excluding them from necessary financial support. (b) Discrepancy in funding: The university students are supposed to obtain an average of 60 per cent Government scholarship and a Government loan at an average of 33 per cent, with the household contribution being seven per cent. On the other hand, the funding for TVET education is through Government scholarship of 50 per cent and a loan of 30 per cent, while household contribution accounts for 20 per cent. This policy is on enhancing technical and vocational training to equip the youth with the relevant skills for the 21st Century. (c) Financial ambiguities and debt crisis in universities: Whereas the funding streams for universities include student financing, research funding, capital infrastructure grants and free for service activities like consultancy, there are concerns that universities may face ambiguous financial allocations, potentially leading to reduced funding. (d) Data protection: The Committee raised concerns about the legality of obtaining information on applicants from various government agencies. During the engagements, it became evident that data-sharing agreements had not yet been executed. Moreover, applicants had not provided explicit consent for their data to be collected and processed even through the MTI to determine a student's level of financial need was already in operation. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the committee has also held engagements with non-state actors in order to acquaint itself with the challenges facing the new university funding model and the implementation of the CBC. With the foregoing, the committee is scheduled to hold a retreat during the long recess, bringing together both State and non-State actors, to comprehensively deliberate on the issues related to the implementation of JSS education, the new university funding model and the acceptability of CBC. The committee will prepare its report, which will be tabled in the House for consideration. I thank you."},{"id":1496824,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496824/?format=json","text_counter":46,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Hon. Kingi","speaker_title":"The Speaker","speaker":null,"content":" Statement pursuant to Standing Order No.57(1). The Senate Majority Leader, please proceed."},{"id":1496825,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496825/?format=json","text_counter":47,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Sen. Chimera consulted Sen. Cheruiyot)"},{"id":1496826,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496826/?format=json","text_counter":48,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Sen. Cheruiyot","speaker_title":"The Senate Majority Leader","speaker":{"id":13165,"legal_name":"Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot","slug":"aaron-cheruiyot"},"content":" Mr. Speaker, Sir, there are young men in this House who mislead elders. My apologies."},{"id":1496827,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496827/?format=json","text_counter":49,"type":"heading","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"BUSINESS FOR THE WEEK COMMENCING, TUESDAY, 19TH NOVEMBER, 2024"},{"id":1496828,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496828/?format=json","text_counter":50,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"Mr. Speaker, Sir, I rise pursuant to Standing Order No.57(1), to hereby present the Business of the Senate for the week commencing Tuesday, 19th of November, 2024. The status of legislative business before the Senate is as follows- 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":1496829,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496829/?format=json","text_counter":51,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"We have 58 Bills that are pending conclusion, of which 40 are at the second reading stage, while 18 are the Committee of the Whole stage. There are 29 Motions and 26 Petitions pending conclusion before the various standing committees, whereby, 19 of such, are already due for reporting. They are way past the statutory period. There are 441 Statements before the committees pursuant to Standing Order No.53 (1). There is also crucial business awaiting consideration by the Senate, including the Mediation Committee reports on Division of Revenue Amendment Bill (National Assembly Bill No.38) and County Government's Additional Allocation Bill. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I do not see the Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Budget and Finance. However, this is such an important mediation exercise such that any minute Sen. Roba walks into the House, the circumstances would warrant him to give an update to the House on the status of the mediation. Previously, more than ten years ago, we have not held mediation exercise for such a long time. Now we are in November without a determination of what is the actual shareable revenue to our counties is. The longest I can remember is about September. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I hope Sen. Roba, the Vice-Chairperson or any Member of the Mediation Committee in the Senate Standing Committee on Budget and Finance will find time in the course of today to bring the House up to speed on what is the status of the mediation exercise, so that we make an informed decision. As Senators retire for the weekend, I am sure citizens will confront many of them. As you know, the favourite excuse that the governors give these days is, “I would have done this, but the Senator has not brought the necessary tools for working.” So, I plead with your kind indulgence, later after I am done, if there is a Member of the Committee, to kindly bring the House up to speed. Hon. Senators, you will also note that Part IV of the Calendar of the third Session will conclude on Thursday, the 5th of December. This implies that the Senate has approximately 11 sittings from today to conclude on the business that is before us. At an appropriate time, I will make a proposal to SBC on the business to prioritise before the conclusion of the sittings of the third Session. It will be unfair, if we go on recess without concluding on certain key legislation that this House has transacted and moved extremely well, that we are almost either at the Committee of the Whole stage or concluding on debate of those particular Bills. I would rather that we conclude on them so that they are with our sister House, even as we begin our recess programme, knowing well that we have done what we are duty-bound to do. Mr. Speaker, Sir, in the meantime, I would like to implore the movers of business listed in the Order Paper to prioritise presence in the Chamber so that they can prosecute their business. Many times, people propose business, be it Statements, Petitions or Motions, but at the time of calling on them to transact that business before the House, they are hardly available. That is not a practice that we want to encourage. I like how you say it, “statement dropped”. That is how it should be. Perhaps the only thing we may need to add is: Dropped for how long?’ Is it three months or six months, so that people can learn to be in the House when they propose business. On Tuesday, the 19th of November, 2024, the SBC will meet to consider the business for that week. The tentative business for that day will include any business that we will not have concluded today at the rise of the House. 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":1496830,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496830/?format=json","text_counter":52,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"The tentative business for meeting for the morning sitting on Wednesday 20th will include businesses that will not have been responded to. Question Nos. 53, 71, 82, 94, 98, 118, 119, 125 are Statements to the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development by the various Senators. That Minister will be appearing this coming week. Mr. Speaker, Sir, Question No.125 to the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy by Sen. Richard Onyonka will be appearing. Hon. Members yesterday expressed great dissatisfaction by the failure by Members of the Cabinet to appear in this House despite business being listed. I had not thought about this, so members of the Secretariat should not consider that I am being unfair to them. However, I saw the letter after we had SBC. You remember there are Members of Cabinet that were informed that if for one reason or the other, you are unable to appear before the House, the statutory timeline expected by law is at least seven days before the date of appearance. You cannot ambush the Speaker with a letter, minutes to appearance or a day to. Unfortunately, the letter that I saw was very kind. Even the Minister reading it will simply smile. We were specific that the letter that should go to the Cabinet Secretaries that did not appear to this House should cite both the provisions of the law and the sanctions that can fall on them for failure to appear before this House. It cannot be that Members take their time to appear and look forward to interacting with Members of the Cabinet who up to a few minutes before their appearance ambush the Speaker with letters for one reason or the other, unless somebody is indisposed like the CS for the Ministry of Health was, this week. You can understand that everybody is a human being and can fall sick. However, for the rest, that is agreeable. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I will be proposing to the SBC that if Members of Secretariat will do with your help and that of the other leaders, we are more than glad to draft that letter together so that the Cabinet can appreciate the importance of this Session. There are various Bills that are at the Committee of the Whole stage. They include the Street Vendors, Local Content Bill, Early Childhood, Land Amendment, and Cooperatives Bill, which I hope we can conclude on. There are various Motions as well that are before our committees, which I do hope that we can conclude on. Mr. Speaker, Sir, lastly, on Thursday the 21st of November, 2024, His Excellency the President Dr. William Samoei Ruto will be making the State of the Nation Address to both Houses of Parliament, in accordance with Article 132(1)(b) of the Constitution. I am sure you shall be communicating the same as usual to guide us on the necessary procedures and arrangements made for our attendance in the National Assembly Chamber of this annual exercise. I am looking forward to hear on what is the State of the Nation and the concerns that citizens have and a report card to Parliament as a tool of accountability to share what his administration has achieved, so far. I hereby thank you and lay this Statement on the Table of the Senate."},{"id":1496831,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1496831/?format=json","text_counter":53,"type":"scene","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"(Sen. Cheruiyot laid document on the Table)"}]}