The Ministry of Education is set to complete its investigation into ‘ghost’ schools on Friday, September 4, Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said.

Speaking in an interview with The Standard, Ogamba said the investigation follows a report by the Auditor General, which showed that 33 ‘ghost’ schools received billions of shillings over the past four years.

The exercise, which started last week, includes verification of schools and reviewing the Auditor General’s report to identify any mismatches or gaps in records that could result in ghost schools, particularly ahead of the release of capitation funding.

“We have discovered instances where a school indicates it has 300 learners on paper. When cross-checked with other agencies, those numbers don’t add up. Where ghost schools are confirmed, we shall hand the cases over to investigative agencies. That is fraud, and money has been moving through bank accounts signed by individuals who will be held accountable,” Ogamba said.

The records will also be used to determine the capitation of schools, as the Ministry will be cross-checking student numbers submitted by head teachers with the records from sub-county directors of education.

“The verification exercise is the reason behind the delayed disbursement of capitation to schools. Once we ascertain the numbers, the first schools to be verified will immediately get their funds,” he said.

Furthermore, the verification exercise will also inform broader education reforms guided by the Presidential Working Party as well as influence rationalisation measures, including the merger of schools with fewer than 10 learners.

“For example, if a junior secondary has only five students, it may be merged with another school nearby. These are decisions we can only make with reliable data,” he said.

Universities

On issues affecting higher education institutions, Ogamba addressed concerns about universities collapsing due to debt, noting that some institutions are struggling with leadership crises, prompting recent interventions by the Ministry.

According to the CS, Moi University, for instance, has a 70:30 ratio of supporting staff to academic staff.

“This raises their payroll, which the university cannot manage. Immediate action needs to be undertaken, not just at Moi but in others as well,” he said.

HELB

The CS also touched on the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), noting that he has instructed that the deadline for the closure of the portal be extended to September 14 to allow those who wish to apply to do so.

His remarks come amid ongoing challenges in the education sector, ranging from capitation and student funding to classroom management and transitions between grades. However, Ogamba says that the Ministry is addressing these issues, tackling one hurdle at a time.