Ogamba admits ghost learners exist after Sifuna demands naming of schools
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has admitted that ghost learners exist in the country’s education system, a revelation that came after Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna demanded answers on how funds continue to flow into schools with inflated student registers.
Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, Sifuna accused the ministry of allowing billions of shillings in capitation money to be lost.
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“In just the past two weeks, the Ministry of Education has actually conceded that when they were doing an audit, out of 17,500 institutions, they had audited 12,000 and found 50,000 ghost students,” he said.
Also watch: Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion says ghost students have been looting capitation funds.
The senator went further, pressing the CS to reveal the specific institutions. “The ministry sent money to these schools. They know the schools; they know the ghost students. Can the minister tell us today the names of those schools and the persons who withdrew that money?”
Audit uncovers anomalies
In response, Ogamba acknowledged that a forensic audit had already exposed serious discrepancies. He told senators that the ministry had decided to release funds only to schools where student numbers had been verified.
“We have done 75% of it. We have about 25% to go, and those anomalies are now being discovered.” he explained.
According to Ogamba, the anomalies being discovered point to possible fraud. “If resources were sent to a bank for school X, we’ll have to find out who signed for those resources. Action will be taken because that’s criminal,” he warned.
His admission confirmed earlier findings by the Auditor General, which showed that ghost learners were most rampant in secondary schools.
The irregularities raised questions about accountability and how long the fraudulent practices had been allowed to persist.
Elsewhere, Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru has questioned why the Ministry of Education admitted to the existence of ghost students but denied the presence of ghost schools, suggesting a connection to a political strategy ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Names still withheld
Despite the acknowledgement, Ogamba avoided naming the schools or individuals implicated. He insisted that the ministry would only share a full list once the verification process is completed.
“So many anomalies are now being discovered,” he said, noting that the ministry’s goal was to establish the exact number of learners before submitting budget requests to Parliament and the Treasury.
However, his reluctance to disclose names immediately left senators dissatisfied. Sifuna argued that withholding details only prolonged a problem that had already cost taxpayers nearly a billion shillings in one financial year.
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William Muthama
William Muthama is a digital journalist with a focus on entertainment, human interest, and current affairs. Share stories: [email protected]/ [email protected]
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