Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has hinted at sweeping changes in the school system, with plans to merge institutions posting unusually low enrolments once the ongoing national audit on schools and capitation is complete.
Appearing before the Senate on Wednesday, Ogamba raised alarm over what he termed as “ghost schools” siphoning millions in taxpayer funds. He cited cases where institutions with as few as ten learners continued to receive full capitation from the government, creating loopholes for misuse.
“We are doing something about the number of ghost schools in the country. Some of the schools we have recorded have less than ten students, yet they continue to claim resources as if they were fully operational,” the CS noted.
To tackle the issue, the ministry is weighing two options: merging severely under-enrolled schools, or splitting up larger ones with overcrowded populations, in order to balance resources more equitably.
“The idea is to ensure that public funds go where they are truly needed,” Ogamba explained.
The CS, however, stopped short of outlining how the government would handle the logistical challenges likely to arise from the restructuring such as students forced to travel longer distances to access education, or teachers being reassigned far from their current stations.
The proposed reforms come at a time when capitation delays and mismanagement have increasingly put pressure on Kenya’s education sector, with some schools struggling to keep their doors open.
