Verification before capitation: How new crackdown to smoke out ghost schools works
By Lutta Njomo, September 7, 2025The Ministry of Education, led by Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, recently adopted a new mechanism to identify and eliminate ghost schools in the country.
As the students returned for the final term of the 2025 academic year, most of them faced threats of being sent back home due to the government’s delay in remitting capitation funds.
Addressing the delay, CS Ogamba confirmed that for the money to be released, every school has to submit updated enrollment figures, with the deadline set for September 12, 2025.
“The verification exercise is the reason behind the delayed disbursement of capitation to schools. Once we ascertain the numbers, the first schools to be verified will immediately get their funds,” Ogamba stated.
Also watch: Capitation crisis as students risk missing exams
How it works
According to information provided by CS Ogamba and Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, the investigation involves cross-checking student numbers submitted by head teachers with records from sub-county directors of education.
With the new directive in effect, schools are required to submit the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) found in each learner’s birth certificate, the institution’s registration number, and certified bank details through subcounty education offices.
Education officials are then expected to go through the provided data to ensure that they correctly align. After all the details are verified, the Ministry of Education alerts the National Treasury to release the capitation funds.
Speaking to a local TV station on September 4, 2025, CS Ogamba touted the verification exercise to expose schools that falsified the number of students, ghost institutions and also help the government in planning.
“We have discovered instances where a school indicates it has 300 learners on paper. When cross-checked with other agencies, those numbers don’t add up. Where ghost schools are confirmed, we shall hand the cases over to investigative agencies. That is fraud, and money has been moving through bank accounts signed by individuals who will be held accountable,” he reiterated.
Also watch: Ogamba admits education funding gaps, vows to improve capitation and staffing
Compliance levels
Addressing the press on Friday, September 5, 2025, PS Bitok announced that only 3,000 schools had received their third-term capitation after their enrollment data was verified as accurate.
He expressed optimism that by Friday, September 12, 2025, all the 32,000 schools will have received their money.
“So far, 3,000 schools have been able to receive capitation after being verified to have the correct data on the correct number of students that are in schools,” Bitok stated.
Bitok further observed that secondary schools are leading in compliance, followed by junior schools, while primary schools are lagging due to internet and technology challenges.
What prompted verification
The ministry employed this bold move after MPs and Auditor General Nancy Gathungu’s report raised concerns over ghost schools in the country. The report presented in the House in July 2025 also disclosed how officials were exploiting gaps to siphon funds meant for capitation.
Gathungu specifically told the MPs that 33 non-existent schools received billions in capitation money.
This prompted the Ministry of Education to act, with various leaders, including former President William Ruto’s advisor, Moses Kuria, backing the new move.