Ogamba: Capitation delays due to audit of schools
The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Ogamba, has attributed delays in the disbursement of capitation funds to schools to an ongoing audit and verification exercise aimed at identifying ghost institutions that have been receiving government funding.
Appearing before the National Assembly to respond to Members’ Questions pursuant to Standing Order 42A (6B), on October 8, 2025, Ogamba explained that the Ministry had temporarily withheld part of the funds following revelations by the Office of the Auditor-General that some schools on the Ministry’s payroll did not actually exist.
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Earlier, education stakeholders warned that delayed capitation threatens the KCSE exams.
The matter was raised by Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba, whose question was read on his behalf by Gilgil MP Martha Wangari.
Reading the question, Wangari said, “Could the Cabinet Secretary state the plans that the Ministry of Education has put in place to ensure that all schools receive capitation to facilitate their operations during the third term, given that national examinations are about to commence?’ she posed.
“ Could he also outline measures to ensure smooth running of schools during the ongoing verification process, indicate how long the exercise will take, and explain the actions being taken to uncover ghost schools that have been receiving funds for infrastructure and examination purposes?” she added.
In response, CS Ogamba confirmed that an audit had indeed exposed significant irregularities in the allocation of education funds.
“Mr. Speaker, the Office of the Auditor-General recently reported that some of the schools that received capitation from the Ministry of Education were non-existent,” he said.
He added that the Ministry was conducting a comprehensive verification exercise to ascertain the actual number of schools and learners across the country.
“Following this report, the Ministry decided to undertake a comprehensive verification exercise to determine the actual number of schools and learners in the country. This process will enhance transparency and accountability to ensure only verified schools benefit from capitation funds,” Ogamba explained.
As of October 7, 2025, the Ministry had verified and released capitation to 752 primary, junior, senior, and special needs institutions nationwide, covering 9,430,139 learners.
Elsewhere, Machakos County Women Representative Joyce Kamene has called on the Kenya Kwanza government to ensure that capitation funds are disbursed to schools promptly to support uninterrupted learning and prevent premature school closures.
Funding
On the current funding status, CS Ogamba reported that Ksh10 billion out of an allocation of Ksh10.3 billion had been released, representing 96 per cent of the total.
For junior schools, the Ministry had disbursed Ksh4.1 billion out of Ksh5.7 billion (73 per cent), while for primary schools, Ksh821 million had been released out of Ksh1.7 billion (48 per cent).
The CS assured Members that the verification exercise was nearing completion and that a comprehensive report would be ready within a week.
Nyeri County MP, Hon. Rahab Mukami, however, questioned the timing of the verification exercise, saying it was disadvantaging candidates preparing for their national examinations.
“Why have Form Four students been sent home while we know very well that they should be preparing for their exams?” she asked.
Mukami urged the CS to direct school principals to recall candidates to ensure they complete their preparation and sit for their final exams without disruption.
