Government Confirms Existence of Ghost Schools, Issues Way Forward

Deputy Government Spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga has acknowledged the existence of ghost schools in the country. 

Speaking to a local radio station on Tuesday, May 14, Chidzuga disclosed that action will be taken upon the officials who have been receiving money through the non-existent institutions.

"It is true that there are 'ghost schools' and those officials who have been receiving money from the government through these schools will be dealt with," Chidzuga remarked.

The Deputy Government Spokesperson's remarks come in the backdrop of an expose by a local daily which revealed the existence of ghost schools in Baringo County which were in the directory of the Ministry of Education.

The schools flagged as ghost institutions included Kaptiony Girls High School, Kasaka Mixed Secondary School, Kampi Ya Nyasi Secondary School, and Kasaka Primary School.

Later, reports emerged that the aforementioned schools were used as polling centres in the 2022 general elections, with doctored screenshots purportedly from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) online portal being used to back the claims.

However, IEBC later clarified in its response that no such stations existed in its directory there terming the reports as fake and misleading. 

"Our attention is drawn to inaccurate and misleading content circulating in social media regarding ‘non-existent polling stations’ allegedly used in the 2022 General Election. The process of mapping where the polling stations will be during the elections is stakeholders-driven with political parties and members of the public included.

"The gazetted 46,229 polling stations used in the last general elections are public information and can be accessed," the electoral body stated.