Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri is currently sponsoring the County Civic Education Bill, which seeks to establish a legal framework for the promotion of civic education in all counties as an essential tool for building responsible citizenship, civic engagement, and democratic values among the citizens.
The bill was introduced in the National Assembly on May 9, and proposes that county governments shall be required to allocate the funds for the project.
“The county and national governments shall promote civic education by ensuring that a percentage of the budget of the National and county governments and other entities is set aside for civic education programmes,” the bill reads in part.
The bill also proposes that members of the county and national governments also undergo mandatory civic education and training on their roles as public servants.
It also proposes that county governments are to establish civic education programmes. The bill also aims for cooperative efforts between the two levels of government to develop the curriculum for civic education, considering the guidelines outlined in Article 33 of the Constitution.
“The county and national governments shall promote civic education by promoting the linkages between universities and research institutions and the public for continuous civic education,” the bill states.
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To achieve the objectives, the bill proposes that County Civic Education Unit (CEC) to partner with local and international educational institutions to promote education. They are also to create programmes to certify and admit non-governmental organisations and other non-state actors into the county’s civic education programmes.
“The county executive committee shall establish online and other platforms for access to information. It shall also establish and develop online civic education programmes, access to fiscal and non-fiscal support,” the bill states.
In her bill, Okenyuri proposes the CEC shall form a new unit to be known as the County Civic Education Unit. The unit’s responsibilities include creating a comprehensive civic education plan for the county in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, overseeing the implementation of civic education programmes and initiatives within the county.
Additionally, the unit will coordinate with public and private institutions to execute county civic education programmes, mobilize resources for funding and partnerships, and monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of these programmes.
“The function of unit will be to collaborate with relevant county government departments, agencies, and other stakeholders involved in civic education activities to ensure a coherent and integrated approach to civic education in the county,” reads part of the bill.
By Frank Mugwe
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