A petitioner has called for the gazettement of Rachuonyo North subcounty in Homa Bay as a hardship area to ensure adequate provision of teachers in the area.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said Fedrick Gaya, in his petition, averred that Rachuonyo North has high poverty levels that adversely affect both teachers and learners.
“Further the petitioner said schools in the area are understaffed with poorly motivated teachers who have been denied hardship allowances,” he stated in his communication to the House.
He said the petitioner indicated that teachers in Suba North and Suba South subcounties get hardship allowances yet they are also located in Homa Bay.
“The petitioner highlights the plights plaguing Rachuonyo North as being exemplified by lack of factories, barren sandy soils, rugged rocky terrain, poor rainfall and perennial floods,” the Speaker said.
“He thus seeks the intervention of this House to among other things, secure the gazettement of Rachuonyo North as a hardship area to improve education standards through the provision of adequate teachers.”
Article 119 of the Constitution accords any person the right to petition Parliament to consider any matter within its authority.
Further, Standing Order 225(2)(b)requires the Speaker to report to the House any Petition other than those presented by an MP.
Wetang'ula said he had established that the petition is well within the authority of the House and the matter raised in it is not pending before any court.
He thereby committed it to the Public Petitions Committee for consideration pursuant to Standing Order 208A.
