Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba has revealed that several nonexistent secondary schools across the country have been receiving government capitation funds, prompting a fresh investigation into possible fraud within the Ministry of Education.

Appearing before the National Assembly on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Ogamba disclosed that 10 schools had been closed for lack of students.

According to Ogamba, the Office of the Auditor-General had identified schools listed on the ministry’s records that, upon verification, did not physically exist.

“The office of the auditor general reported that some of the schools that had received capitation from the ministry of education were nonexistent. And I have done a list. There is Kiria Secondary School in Nyandarua, Dr Machage Maheto in Migori, Ragia Forest High School in Kiambu, Mwandi Mixed Secondary School in Kirinyaga, Friends Bulovi in Kakamega, Loiwat High School in Baringo, Ngamba School in Murang’a, Tangara Secondary School in Narok, Maji Mazuri Mixed Secondary School in Baringo, and Fr Leo Staples Stars in West Pokot,” Ogamba told MPs.

Possible fraud

According to the CS, ministry officials who visited the locations reported that teachers attributed the closure of the schools to a lack of students. The ministry is now reviewing historical funding records to determine whether money was irregularly disbursed over previous years.

“When we asked the teachers why the schools closed, they said there were no students. Now we have to go back to the records and find out previously, has money been released to these schools so that we can determine whether there was fraud or not?” Ogamba said.

The CS also revealed that the verification exercise for 934 junior secondary and primary schools is ongoing, even though the schools had already received 30 percent of their capitation based on National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) data.

MPs demand action

Lawmakers, however, expressed outrage over what they termed as blatant mismanagement and possible collusion among ministry officials.

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“They must be knowing the accounts; they must be knowing the signatories. We saw the ministry of health recently came in and arrested those people who had been stealing SHA money,” Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala said.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula pressed Ogamba to explain what disciplinary actions had been taken internally.

“You have officers of your ministry in each and every county who have a duty to keep and update records of schools continuously and furnish to your ministry that money or public resources have been wired to nonexistent schools for nonexistent students. How many of your officers have you interdicted for doing this criminal act?” Wetang’ula questioned.

Ogamba maintained that the matter is already under investigation, stating that the auditor-general’s findings have been forwarded to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Ogamba, however, argued that the auditor general’s report is already with the EACC and that action will be taken against those involved.