The Ministry of Education has unearthed a massive fraud in the country’s secondary schools, exposing more than 50,000 ghost learners in a nationwide verification exercise.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok revealed the findings when he appeared before the National Assembly Education Committee, warning that the problem is only the tip of the iceberg. The ministry has so far audited just half of the institutions.
“In secondary schools, we have already identified over 50,000 ghost students and that’s with only 50 percent of verification completed,” Bitok told MPs.
The revelations point to widespread inflation of enrolment data, a scheme that has likely cost taxpayers billions through misallocated capitation funds. While discrepancies in primary and junior secondary schools are still under review, Bitok confirmed that the most glaring anomalies have been detected in secondary institutions.
The ministry relies on data from the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), school principals, and sub-county directors. But the cross-checking process has revealed major inconsistencies, with schools inflating student numbers to siphon public funds.
“For secondary schools, it is clear the figures are higher than expected,” the PS said.
Bitok urged Parliament and education stakeholders to chart a clear path forward, particularly in deciding what disciplinary action should be taken against schools and officials found culpable.
