AI tool targets 'ghost learners' in schools

AI-powered “Kiswate” platform aims to tackle ghost learners, teacher absenteeism, and funding leaks in Kenya’s education sector.[iStock]

An artificial intelligence-driven solution could help curb corruption and inefficiencies in Kenya’s education sector if adopted by government and schools, a data scientist has said.

The sector has long been dogged by corruption allegations, particularly involving ‘ghost’ learners and schools that have siphoned billions in public funds.

At the same time, Grade 10 learners under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) system face teacher shortages, exposing gaps in curriculum implementation, while limited access to textbooks continues to threaten full rollout.

Pius Odhiambo, a US-based Kenyan data scientist, says these challenges can be addressed through a technology-driven platform dubbed Kiswate, which digitises the traditional class register.

At the core of the innovation is the transformation of the manual class register into a digital system, a tool Odhiambo argues has long been overlooked despite its potential in school management.

“By transforming it into a digital platform, the system is designed to tackle five critical challenges facing Kenyan schools: teacher shortages, unplanned teacher absenteeism, high cost of textbooks, loss of public funds, and the rising cost of school operations,” he said.

The digital register is designed to monitor teacher attendance in real time, enabling school administrators and education authorities to track lesson delivery and intervene where gaps arise.

Odhiambo said this would enhance accountability and ensure learners benefit fully from allocated instructional time.

The system also uses Smart ID-based technology to streamline school operations.

However, the innovation must align with existing legal and policy frameworks before adoption, according to the Ministry of Education Kenya.

“Develop a comprehensive concept note outlining technical specifications, data governance safeguards, sustainability mechanisms without additional parental levies, and evidence of prior pilots where applicable,” the Ministry said in a letter to Kiswate in February 2026.