Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has revealed that the government is considering merging schools with very low student enrollment as part of ongoing efforts to streamline capitation funding and curb the misuse of public resources.
Speaking before the Senate on Wednesday, CS Ogamba disclosed that a national audit of schools and capitation is currently underway and will inform key decisions about the future of schools with minimal student numbers some with as few as 10 learners.
“We are addressing the issue of ghost schools in the country. Some institutions on record have fewer than 10 students, yet they claim substantial capitation funds,” Ogamba said.
“Once the audit is completed, we will consider whether such schools should be merged, while others with large populations may be split to ensure equitable distribution of resources.”
The CS noted that the government has so far completed 75% of the nationwide school verification exercise, with the remaining 25% expected to be finalized within the month.
Until then, disbursement of funds will be strictly limited to schools with confirmed enrollment figures.
“What we decided to do is, after the Auditor General flagged the issue, the Ministry resolved that this third term, resources would only be released to schools where student numbers have been verified. These anomalies are now being uncovered,” Ogamba told senators.
While the initiative aims to eliminate fraudulent claims and improve efficiency, the Education Ministry did not immediately outline how it will address logistical challenges particularly for learners and teachers in remote areas, where school consolidation may result in longer travel distances.
The proposed school mergers and realignments are expected to stir debate among parents, teachers, students, and other education stakeholders, especially in rural and marginalized regions where access to schools remains a challenge.
In addition to the audit and capitation reforms, CS Ogamba announced that the government plans to implement a comprehensive school model, merging both primary and junior secondary schools under a single administrative unit.
This follows recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms aimed at resolving confusion surrounding the management of Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).
To support these changes, the government has allocated Ksh1.3 billion towards infrastructure development.
The Ministry also plans to pursue additional targeted budget allocations beyond the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to accommodate increased enrollment, driven by the government’s 100% transition policy.
“As I have indicated, the 100% transition policy means additional pressure on infrastructure. While CDF remains important, we are also pushing for other budgetary measures to ensure schools can support the growing student population,” Ogamba added.
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