Kenya’s Ministry of Education discovered over 50,000 ghost students in secondary schools. Officials found the students during a nationwide verification exercise to clean up enrollment records and stop fund theft.
Some schools inflated student numbers to collect extra money under the Free Day Secondary Education (FDSE) program. The funds should cover tuition, books, and learning materials for real students.
Officials estimate the scam costs the government KSh 1.1 billion annually. So far, auditors have reviewed only half of the schools. Authorities warn the final number of ghost students could rise further.
Education CS Ezekiel Machogu pledged to take action. “We will ensure public funds go to children who need them,” he said. Investigators suspect some school heads and education officers colluded to create fake records and pocket the money.
The ministry is working with the DCI to track and prosecute the culprits. Schools that commit fraud face fines, and officials face criminal charges.
The government allocates thousands of shillings per student under FDSE. With over 50,000 fake students, the financial loss is massive.
The ministry plans to tighten audits and guarantee funds reach genuine students. The crackdown aims to restore trust and protect education funding for all learners.
