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A damning new report has lifted the lid on the shadowy world of “ghost students” in school.
This exposes how inflated enrolment figures are draining millions from the education sector and denying genuine learners critical resources.
paints a troubling picture of systemic manipulation of student data, where non-existent learners are entered into official records to attract additional capitation funds.
The practice, the report indicates, has quietly siphoned public money meant for textbooks, infrastructure and school feeding programmes.
Kenya’s education funding model is largely based on per-learner capitation, introduced to promote equitable access to free primary and subsidised secondary education.
Over the years, however, concerns have persisted that some institutions exaggerate enrolment figures during audits and data submissions to the Ministry of Education in order to receive higher allocations.
The Phoenix report documents discrepancies between actual classroom attendance and officially declared numbers, raising questions about oversight mechanisms and accountability at both school and ministry levels.
Education stakeholders say in some cases, enrolment records reportedly remained inflated even after transfers, dropouts or completion of studies.
“Every shilling lost to ghost students is a shilling stolen from a child who needs a desk, a book or a meal. It undermines public trust and sabotages efforts to improve quality and equity,” he said an education official familiar with the findings.
Parents and teachers have also expressed outrage, noting that while official data may show adequate funding, realities on the ground tell a different story overcrowded classrooms, delayed disbursements and chronic shortages of learning materials.
Analysts argue that the problem is rooted in weak data verification systems and limited integration between school records and national population databases.
Without real-time biometric or digital validation tools, they warn, the door remains open for manipulation.
The report calls for tighter audits, stricter penalties for culpable administrators, and the deployment of technology-driven learner registration systems.
It also recommends cross-checking enrolment data with national identification and civil registration systems to eliminate duplication and fictitious entries.
As the government continues to prioritise education reforms and increased budgetary allocations, the ghost student scandal threatens to erode gains made in access and transition rates.
Ultimately, restoring integrity in school funding will require more than policy pronouncements.
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A damning new report has lifted the lid on the
shadowy world
of “ghost students” in school.
This exposes how inflated enrolment figures are draining millions from the education sector and denying genuine learners critical resources.
paints a troubling picture of systemic manipulation of student data, where non-existent learners are entered into official records to attract additional capitation funds.
The practice, the report indicates, has quietly siphoned public money meant for textbooks, infrastructure and school feeding programmes.
Kenya’s education funding model is largely based on
per-learner capitation
, introduced to promote equitable access to free primary and subsidised secondary education.
Over the years, however, concerns have persisted that some institutions exaggerate enrolment figures during audits and data submissions to the Ministry of Education in order to receive higher allocations.
The Phoenix report documents discrepancies between actual classroom attendance and officially declared numbers, raising questions about oversight mechanisms and accountability at both school and ministry levels.
Education stakeholders say in some cases, enrolment records reportedly remained inflated even after transfers, dropouts or completion of studies.
“Every shilling lost to ghost students is a shilling stolen from a child who needs a desk, a book or a meal. It undermines public trust and sabotages efforts to improve quality and equity,” he said an education official familiar with the findings.
Parents and teachers have also expressed outrage, noting that while official data may show adequate funding, realities on the ground tell a different story overcrowded classrooms, delayed disbursements and chronic shortages of learning materials.
Analysts argue that the problem is rooted in weak data verification systems and limited integration between school records and national population databases.
Without real-time biometric or digital validation tools, they warn, the
door remains
open for manipulation.
The report calls for tighter audits, stricter penalties for culpable administrators, and the deployment of technology-driven learner registration systems.
It also recommends cross-checking enrolment data with national identification and civil registration systems to eliminate duplication and fictitious entries.
As the government continues to prioritise education reforms and increased budgetary allocations, the ghost student scandal threatens to erode gains made in access and transition rates.
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Ultimately, restoring integrity in school funding will require more than policy pronouncements.
Follow The Standard
channel
on WhatsApp
By Mike Kihaki