A nationwide audit has uncovered serious gaps in Kenya’s basic education data, revealing more than 87,000 “ghost learners” listed in government systems despite having no traceable presence in any school.
The verification exercise, conducted between September and October 2025, also flagged at least 26 public schools that were non-operational but continued to appear in official records for years. These included 16 primary and 10 secondary schools spread across several counties, among them Murang’a, Kiambu, Isiolo, Mombasa, Kitui, Wajir, Kericho and Garissa.
According to the audit, some schools with fewer than 10 learners had been receiving capitation funds, contrary to minimum enrolment requirements. The exercise reduced declared public-school enrolment from 11.6 million to just over 11 million learners, leaving more than half a million learners unaccounted for.
The report estimates that up to Ksh1.1 billion annually may have been lost through capitation linked to non-existent or unviable schools. Factors behind the closures include insecurity, persistent low enrolment and unresolved community disputes.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the government has already closed several secondary schools found to have no students and ordered all institutions to re-register under the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS). Capitation funding is now tied strictly to verified data as investigations continue.
