A nationwide school audit conducted by Kenya's Ministry of Education has uncovered more than 50,000 ghost students in secondary schools, raising serious concerns over mismanagement of public funds and data integrity within the education sector.
The verification exercise, which is still ongoing, involves cross-checking enrolment data captured in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) against actual student headcounts. So far, approximately 50% of schools have been verified — meaning the number of ghost learners could be even higher once the process is complete.
The government allocates capitation funds based on student enrolment figures submitted by schools. These funds are intended to support learning materials, infrastructure, and daily school operations. However, the presence of non-existent students on official records means millions—if not billions—of shillings may have been fraudulently disbursed over time.
As a result of the discrepancies, the Ministry has withheld funding from schools that fail to verify their enrolment. Only institutions with accurate and updated records are receiving capitation. According to recent reports, fewer than 3,000 schools had qualified for the latest round of funding.
Education officials suspect that some school administrators may have deliberately inflated enrolment figures to receive more government funding. Others point to systemic flaws in data collection, lax oversight, and outdated school registration processes.
In addition to ghost students, the Ministry is also investigating reports of "ghost schools" — institutions that may exist only on paper but continue to receive funding.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has vowed to clean up the system and implement unique learner identifiers, including a proposed “Maisha Namba,” to curb future fraud.
The verification continues, with the Ministry promising full transparency and accountability in the final report.
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