PCEA Mai-A-Ihii High School Flagged in Auditor General Report Over Ghost Workers
The audit report, which reviewed the financial operations of schools across the country, exposed widespread irregularities in the management of public funds.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Yvone Jeptarus
PCEA Mai-A-Ihii High School in Kikuyu has been named among public secondary schools flagged for financial mismanagement following a recent audit by the Office of the Auditor General.
The school, which is listed in Ministry of Education records as Mai-a-Ihii – Kikuyu in Kikuyu Constituency, Kiambu County, is a public regular secondary school operating under the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) sponsorship.
According to TSC records, the institution is headed by Mr Karanja, Joseph Kinyanjui, who serves as Principal of P.C.E.A. Mai-A-Ihii High School in Kikuyu Sub-County, Central Region.
The audit report, which reviewed the financial operations of schools across the country, exposed widespread irregularities in the management of public funds.
In the report, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flagged PCEA Mai-A-Ihii High for paying ghost workers, with Sh828,390 disbursed due to unclear and unsupported payroll entries.
The finding places the school among several institutions cited for failing to provide adequate documentation to support salary payments and allowances. The report noted that beyond fee irregularities, the audit also uncovered numerous instances of schools mismanaging their resources.
The school is located in the larger Kikuyu area, which is home to several day and boarding secondary schools including Alliance, Musa Gitau, and Mai-a-ihii Secondary School. Official Ministry data places its administrative location in Kikuyu Division, Karai location, under Kikuyu Constituency.
The audit findings come at a time when the Ministry of Education and the Auditor General’s office have intensified scrutiny of school finances. The investigations aim to seal loopholes that have led to loss of public funds through unsupported payrolls, inflated procurement, and illegal levies charged to parents.
Education stakeholders have called for greater accountability from Boards of Management and school administrators to ensure that capitation funds and other resources are used for their intended purpose — improving learning conditions for students.
As of the time of publication, there has been no official communication from the County Director of Education or the Teachers Service Commission regarding any closure of PCEA Mai-A-Ihii High School. No verified reports from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations or credible media houses have confirmed allegations of student abuse, criminal charges against the principal, or arrest of Board members.
The Auditor General has recommended that schools flagged in the report provide supporting documents for the questioned expenditures or recover the funds, and that responsible officers be held accountable in accordance with public finance management laws.
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