The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has dismissed claims of financial mismanagement following an audit report that flagged possible losses amounting to Sh540 million.
According to the report, the amount is linked to the distribution of textbooks and learning materials.
Insisting that no funds were lost during the process, KICD CEO Charles Ong’ondo attributed the concerns to discrepancies in learner and school data captured on the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).
He explained that many learners were not accounted for in the system, leading to what appeared to be excess deliveries.
“There is no single cent lost. The concerns stem from inaccurate learner and school numbers on NEMIS,” Ong’ondo told the Star.
He added that KICD is currently preparing a detailed response for submission to Parliament in response to the report.
Ong’ondo further defended the institute’s processes, stating that all books supplied were in line with the approved curriculum and that the issue of "irrelevant" books does not arise.
He also noted that any shortage or absence of teachers for particular subjects was not within KICD’s mandate.
According to him, the lists used for book distribution come directly from the Ministry of Education, which means there can be no "ghost schools" unless the Ministry registers them.
This, as he stressed, means that no payments are made without signed delivery notes from headteachers.
A report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, which covered the financial years 2020–21 to 2023–24, raised concerns about the programme’s implementation.
The report indicated that while the Ministry of Education disbursed Sh27.8 billion during the period, KICD confirmed receiving Sh28.2 billion, revealing an unexplained variance of Sh378 million.
The textbook distribution programme to schools was intended to provide access to learning materials for all students in public schools.
The audit found that hundreds of schools received more textbooks than needed based on their enrolment figures, resulting in excess deliveries valued at Sh90.8 million.
In contrast, it states that other institutions experienced significant shortages in learning materials, with the shortfall estimated at Sh295 million.
Some schools reportedly received books for subjects they do not offer, amounting to Sh30.3 million in misallocated resources.
Additionally, the report noted that several schools either did not receive the materials at all or received fewer than expected, resulting in losses of Sh41.4 million.
In several cases, deliveries were delayed by periods ranging from three to 37 months.
The audit also found that at least 110 schools failed to maintain proper records of the textbooks, teachers’ guides, and instructional materials they received.
