Education

Auditor General: Education Ministry can't explain missing Sh400M

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu.

By Lucy Mumbi | Friday, March 15, 2024

The report states that out of an approved budget of Sh11,795,474,199 for free day secondary education and free primary education, only Sh11,387,068,719 was utilised.

An audit report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu reveals discrepancies in the utilization of funds allocated for free primary and secondary education in the Financial Year 2022-23.

According to the report released on January 31, 2024, the Education Ministry failed to account for over Sh400 million intended for free day secondary education and free primary education capitation.

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Out of an approved budget of Sh11,795,474,199, only Sh11,387,068,719 was utilized, leaving a balance of Sh408,405,480 unaccounted for.

Gathungu highlighted that the disbursement for free primary education was conducted manually, bypassing the National Education Management and Information System (NEMIS), which led to difficulties in confirming pupils' enrollment per school.

“As such, the pupils’ enrolment per school could not be confirmed,” she said.

Field verification revealed that 187 out of 312 Junior Secondary Schools did not receive capitation due to manual disbursement, leaving over 7,000 learners without funding.

“The actual enrolment of the 187 JSSs was 29,653 learners. However, they received capitation for 22,313 learners, leaving 7,340 learners without funding,” she said.

Moreover, the audit identified congestion in Grade Seven classes, with some accommodating between 80 to 100 learners, far exceeding the recommended class size of 45 students, impacting teacher-student engagement.

Additionally, the lack of science laboratories in schools was noted as a significant concern.

The report also criticized the configuration of NEMIS, highlighting its continuous updates without a cutoff, making it challenging to confirm student numbers at any given time.

In response to the findings, President William Ruto's government allocated Sh25.5 billion to Junior Secondary Schools, Sh65.4 billion to free day secondary education, and Sh12.5 billion for free primary education in the FY2023–24 budget.

However, the Education Ministry faces scrutiny over its handling of the allocated funds, with questions raised about accountability and transparency in the management of free education programs.