The Auditor General has exposed a scam where the Education ministry wired Sh146.57 million to government-sponsored ghost students in private universities.
It is emerging that the funds were sent to "students" not placed by Kenya University and College Central Placement Services, those who had already graduated or those who had stayed beyond the duration of their courses.
The fiddling with funds and names at all levels of education is not something new at the Ministry of Education. Officials at Jogoo House have even gone to the extent of creating ghost schools where they channel capitation funds.
In the case of universities, the money is drawn from the Universities Fund whose officials seem asleep on the job or to be part of the scheme to rob taxpayers.
Over and above the annual audit, the Auditor General had earlier instituted a special audit which revealed that 15 private universities benefited from Sh219 million yet no government-sponsored students were placed in these institutions.
The auditor now wants the named universities to refund the amount, but this should not end here.
Those at the ministry level, the Universities Fund and the respective universities culpable must be prosecuted, because the happenings seem to be by design and not by default.
Kenyans are heavily taxed and no thieving hands should be allowed to rip them off.
Quote of the Day: “Without the fear of God, men do not even observe justice and charity among themselves.”
John Calvin
The Protestant religious reformer and theologian died on May 27, 1564.
