Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has confirmed that the probe, which has been ongoing for several weeks, is nearing completion. He warned that individuals found culpable of creating or benefiting from the fictitious institutions will face the full force of the law.
The investigation which was launched after the auditor reports revealed that millions of shillings have been siphoned from public coffers through fraudulent claims. Officials allegedly listed non-existent schools in official records, inflating student populations to secure higher allocations of capitation funds.
CS Ogamba emphasized that the government is determined to end such practices, which undermine education funding and deny genuine learners the resources they deserve. He described the scam as “an insult to Kenyan taxpayers and a betrayal to students who struggle daily with inadequate facilities.”
Teachers’ unions and education stakeholders have backed the probe, urging the ministry to act decisively. They argue that eliminating ghost schools will ensure that money meant for classrooms, textbooks, and feeding programs actually reaches the intended beneficiaries.
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Parents have also expressed frustration, saying corruption in the education sector directly affects the quality of learning for their children. Many hope the ministry’s report will lead to reforms that strengthen accountability.
However, the schools heads view the move as means to delay the release of school capitations, which they say has compromised the running of the schools. They claim that they have limited time to verify students and submit a complete UPI forms required by the MoE on every student.
They are therefore asking the ministry to reconsider the time frame and the length of the third term, which might affect examination preparation.
As the nation awaits the findings, analysts note that the outcome could significantly shape public confidence in education management. The ministry has assured Kenyans that transparency will be upheld and culprits will not escape justice.
By Juma Ndigo
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