The Ministry of Education's recent audit report has faced questions after over 500,000 students were left unverified due to reliance on digital records instead of physical headcounts. The nationwide verification exercise aimed to clean up enrolment data and streamline capitation funding. However, significant discrepancies between the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and confirmed figures have raised concerns about students attending classes without complete registration.
The Ministry of Education announced a nationwide verification exercise to rectify enrolment data and ensure accurate capitation funding. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba led the process. The audit highlighted a major discrepancy between students registered in the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and those verified during the review.
According to the report, the ministry recorded 2.95 million junior secondary school students. However, Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) data indicates over 3.2 million registered in junior secondary, leaving more than 256,000 unaccounted for. In primary schools, the ministry reported 4.82 million learners, while KNEC shows only 4.1 million, creating a gap of 721,000 learners.
Additionally, secondary school data for May 2025 showed 87,000 more students than in January 2025, despite no new admissions in that period. Ministry sources indicate these figures were inflated by allowing registrations with incomplete data to secure funding.
Due to these inconsistencies, the ministry has been urged to conduct a physical headcount in schools to establish the true number of learners. Without it, the audit risks underreporting actual enrolment. This has sparked questions about the reliability of digital records and their potential to exclude physically present students with incomplete registrations.