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The Ministry of Education has unearthed over 50,000 ghost students in secondary schools following an ongoing nationwide verification exercise Basic Education PS Julius Bitok revealed that only half of the institutions have been covered, raising fears that the true figure could be much higher The revelations point to billions of shillings in public funds lost to inflated enrolment data, with MPs now demanding accountability from schools and officials TUKO.co.ke journalist Harry Ivan Mboto has over three years of experience reporting on politics and current affairs in Kenya
Kenya’s education sector is grappling with a major accountability crisis.
Ministry of Education revealed that an ngoing verification exercise exposed 50,000 ghost students in secondary schools. Photo: Julius Ogamba.
Source: Twitter This is after the Ministry of Education confirmed that more than 50,000 ghost students have been uncovered in secondary schools.
What did Ministry of Education say on ghost students? The revelation came during a session with the National Assembly Education Committee, where Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the figures were based on an ongoing verification exercise that has so far covered only half of all schools.
“In secondary schools, we have found that more than 50,000 students were ghost students, and we are only at 50 percent of verification,” Bitok told MPs. He explained that the ministry relies on student enrolment records captured in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), as well as reports from school heads and sub-county directors.
However, the process had exposed major discrepancies, with inflated numbers particularly evident in secondary schools.
Bitok further disclosed that while the scope of the problem in primary and junior secondary schools remains unclear, secondary schools have emerged as the most affected.
How much money is government losing on ghost students? The revelations indicate that the government has been spending over KSh 1.1 billion annually to sponsor students who do not exist, translating to about KSh 4.4 billion across the four years of secondary education.
The PS asked lawmakers and education stakeholders to help chart the way forward, stressing that schools and officials found culpable would have to face consequences.
“We want the committee and other education stakeholders to help us decide what to do with this data,” he said. He also hinted that the matter might extend beyond ghost learners, raising the possibility of “ghost schools” that may have been benefiting from government funding.
According to him, a conclusive report will be ready within a week once the verification exercise is finalised.
The findings have ignited concern in Parl
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