UK halts $30 million in primary education aid to Kenyan government over corruption fears

UK halts school aid to Kenyan gov’t over fraud

NAIROBI, Kenya — A British official says his government will not give Kenya’s Ministry of Education $30 million in aid meant to support free primary school education because of the risk of fraud.

Alistair Fernie, the head of the U.K.’s Department for International Development in Kenya, says officials are looking at alternative ways to channel the money directly to schools in the form of grants for orphans and vulnerable children.

The move follows Britain’s suspension of $16 million meant for education last December following revelations by a government audit of how education officials misused $1 million meant for free primary school education.

Fernie says the U.K. government is not confident that Kenya has taken the needed steps to prevent corruption.