The National Parents Association (NPA) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) want an urgent probe into the ghost schools scandal.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have been urged to intervene and bring the culprits to book.
This follows a special audit on capitation and infrastructure grants submitted to the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC). It exposed widespread theft of funds meant for primary and secondary schools through the creation of ghost schools and learners—even as legitimate schools face a crippling Sh117 billion funding shortfall.
NPA Secretary-General Eskimos Kobia demanded firm action against individuals involved in the embezzlement of billions of shillings.
“As parents, we want the EACC and the DCI to move swiftly and investigate the revelations by the Auditor-General that some unregistered schools received millions in capitation, while public schools continue to suffer financially. We want all culprits to face the full force of the law,” Mr Kobia said in Naivasha.
“That unregistered schools and ghost learners received substantial capitation and infrastructure funds at a time when the government claims to lack sufficient funds for public schools is shocking,” he added.
In a separate interview, Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori also called for a thorough probe into the scandal. He expressed disbelief at the scale of the fraud, describing it as a grave crime against the education system.
“The DCI and the EACC should immediately investigate the scandal to uncover the extent of the mischief. How can we have ghost schools where billions disappear? It is unfortunate and almost unbelievable,” he said.
“The education system must be transparent and accountable. Such losses not only rob learners of vital resources but also undermine the credibility of both the education sector and government institutions.”
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Last week, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed shocking details of the fraud in which 33 non-existent schools received billions of shillings over the past four financial years (2020/2021 to 2023/2024).
The report shows that ghost students in 723 schools consumed Sh3.7 billion in capitation due to inflated enrolment data recorded in the National Education Management Information System (Nemis).
According to the audit, 354 secondary schools received capitation funds exceeding their actual enrolment, resulting in an overpayment of Sh3.59 billion. Ninety-nine junior secondary schools were overfunded by Sh30.8 million, while 270 primary schools received capitation for non-existent learners.
In total, overfunding across all school levels exceeded Sh3.7 billion, largely attributed to inflated learner data in Nemis—contrary to Ministry of Education guidelines that capitation be based strictly on verified enrolment.
The Auditor-General also revealed that 14 of 83 sampled schools received Sh16.6 billion in capitation despite not appearing in County Directors of Education records. Some of these schools had ceased operations, while others had names differing from those recorded in Nemis.
The audit also found that learner numbers in Nemis often differed significantly from actual figures in school registers. Some schools received more funds than they were entitled to, while others were underfunded due to inaccurate data.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba addressing Principals during the Kenya National Schools Principals Forum in Mombasa on April 23, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit| Nation Media Group
Specifically, 354 secondary schools, 99 junior secondary schools, and 270 primary schools were overfunded by Sh3.7 billion over the four-year period. Conversely, 334 secondary schools, 244 JS, and 230 primary schools were underfunded by a total of Sh2.14 billion.
The inaccuracies were blamed on weak controls in Nemis, the absence of audit trails, and a lack of harmonised records among key education agencies such as the Teachers Service Commission, Kenya National Examinations Council, and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment.
At a time when the government is struggling to fund education, parents want the government to get to the bottom of the matter.
Many schools across the country have been forced to close early due to financial strain, with institutions unable to meet basic needs, including payments to suppliers and settling water and electricity bills arrears.
The parents’ association has warned that over 30 per cent of students could drop out of school if the government reduces capitation from Sh22,000 to Sh16,000 per student.
