The challenges plaguing the education sector in the country may soon be a thing of the past if the government and schools adopt a new technology that seeks to address the
issues, a data scientist argues.
In the recent past, the Ministry of Education has been riddled with corruption allegations emanating from 'ghost' learners and schools that have gobbled billions of taxpayers money.According to the Ministry of Education, taxpayers have been losing about Sh5 billion annually due to inaccurate school's enrolment data.The discrepancies have raised concerns among Kenyans, with stakeholders, with stakeholders observing that the situation is exacerbated by "cartels." At the same time, grade 10 learners in the new Competency Based Education system, are faced with shortage of teachers, exposing gaps in the implementation of the curriculum.
Availability of learning textbooks have also been highlighted as a major concern in the sector, a challenge that now threatens the full rollout of the CBE programme. These challenges, Pius Odhiambo who is a US-based Kenyan data scientist, says would come to an end if the government implements a technology-driven solution under an application dubbed Kiswate.
At the core of the innovation is the digitisation of the traditional class register, an administrative tool the Eng. Odhiambo argues, has long been overlooked despite its capability in school management.
"I did research for a period of 11 years in the United States. You need to digitise the class register," he said
"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 added.
The digital register, he notes, seeks to monitor teacher attendance in real time, ensuring that school administrations and education authorities can track lesson delivery and intervene promptly when gaps arise. This level of transparency, he says, would not only improve teacher accountability but also ensure that students receive the full benefit of allocated instructional time.
The system utilizes the Smart ID based technology to streamline school functions. However, the developer will have to align with the legal and policy framework governing public basic education before its approval, according to MoE.
"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 wrote to Kiswate in February, 2026. "Channel the proposal formally through the Directorate responsible for ICT Integration and Digital Learning for review in accordance with established procedures," the Ministry added.
Further, MoE requires the developer to ensure compliance with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act and relevant Public-Private Partnership regulationsmoda.Meanwhile, Odhiambo accused some unnamed State officials of frustrating his efforts "to give back to the community." "I have been intimidated. My CEO has been intimidated," he said, alleging that some officials are asking for bribes.