Ogamba announces new directive for all schools to re-register under KEMIS
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has ordered all schools in Kenya to re-register under a new digital system in a move aimed at eliminating ghost schools and cleaning up education data.
Speaking during a live interview on a local radio station on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, Ogamba said the Ministry of Education would now use the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS) to verify school legitimacy, replacing the outdated National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).
Ghost schools crackdown
You might also like
Ogamba noted that while previous investigations had flagged several non-existent schools benefiting from government funding, a more robust and credible system was now required to restore trust and enhance transparency.
“Going forward, to solve the problem of ghost schools, all schools which had registered on NEMIS must re-register under KEMIS so that we have clean data,” said Ogamba.
He emphasized that KEMIS will collect updated information about a school’s physical location, student enrolment numbers, and teaching staff to eliminate fraud.
System to enhance oversight
The directive comes after Members of Parliament raised alarm that part of the Ksh1.3 billion infrastructure fund was being channelled to fictitious schools. These “ghost institutions” allegedly existed only on paper, complete with fake student lists and false geographical data.
“We use the system to know the school, where it is, the number of students, and the number of teachers. A credible system,” Ogamba stated.
He added that operating ghost schools is a criminal offence, warning that action would be taken against those responsible for misappropriation of public funds.
“There is no government policy that supports this. That is an offence, and I stand by it,” he said, confirming that a joint team with the Auditor General has been tasked with flagging irregularities.
Universities also affected
Ogamba further addressed concerns about higher education financing, revealing that university fees had been slashed by between 15 and 30 per cent to ease pressure on households. He reaffirmed that all disbursements are done directly to verified school bank accounts to block corruption loopholes.
The ministry expects full re-registration under KEMIS to be completed before the end of the year, setting the stage for a more accountable education system.
Author
William Muthama
William Muthama is a digital journalist with a focus on entertainment, human interest, and current affairs. Share stories: [email protected]/ [email protected]
View all posts by William Muthama
