A nationwide Ministry of Education audit has exposed a shocking trend in secondary schools: more than 50,000 students listed in official records cannot be traced. The anomaly has raised fears that taxpayers may have lost over Sh1.1 billion annually in funds meant for learners who do not exist.
The revelations came to light when Prof Julius Bitok, the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, appeared before the National Assembly Education Committee. He explained that the ongoing verification of school enrolment data is halfway complete, with the most alarming gaps found in secondary institutions.
At the government’s annual funding rate of Sh22,244 per learner, the fake enrolments translate into massive financial losses. The PS confirmed that funds were already disbursed to 17,500 schools this term, with secondary schools alone receiving Sh5.14 billion out of an allocation of Sh10.38 billion.
Prof Bitok noted that while preliminary figures from primary and junior schools show slightly higher-than-expected enrolments, secondary schools remain the epicenter of the ghost learner crisis. “So far, over 50,000 learners cannot be accounted for. Numbers are not adding up,” he told MPs.
The Ministry is relying on three sets of records—NEMIS, school heads’ data, and reports from sub-county directors—to verify learners and institutions. Once the exercise concludes, enrolment figures could drop by nearly 10 percent, according to the PS.
The verification is part of a broader effort to clean up Kenya’s education records. By January 2026, the Ministry plans to roll out a new system, the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), to replace NEMIS and strengthen data accuracy.
The audit also revealed how schools use their allocated funds. Tuition accounts cover classroom needs such as textbooks, laboratory materials, and stationery, while operations accounts finance utilities, sports, and student meals. Misreporting of enrolment figures therefore directly undermines service delivery in genuine schools.
Prof Bitok emphasized that the infrastructure grants under review—amounting to Sh1.39 billion over five years—were allocated under presidential directives and not part of the fraud. He called on Parliament and stakeholders to guide the next steps, particularly on punitive action against schools and officials implicated.
The scandal underscores a longstanding problem of weak oversight in capitation funding. As the cleanup continues, all eyes remain on the Ministry to seal the loopholes and restore public trust in Kenya’s education financing.
