The government has launched a school-based National ID registration campaign targeting secondary school students in a significant step toward improving access to essential services for young Kenyans.
According to a directive from Principal Secretary for Basic Education Julius Bitok, to all Regional and County Directors of Education have been instructed to inform secondary school principals to support and facilitate the exercise.
This marks the first large-scale initiative in recent years aimed at streamlining ID registration among school-going youth. Scheduled to run throughout the second term of the academic year—May to August 2025—the campaign is expected to reach thousands of students across the country.
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Led by the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services through the National Registration Bureau, the initiative seeks to ensure that eligible students are issued National Identity Cards before completing secondary school.
“This initiative is designed to ensure that Kenyan students who have attained the age of 18 are registered for National Identity Cards while still in school, enabling them to access tertiary education placements, job opportunities, and financial aid such as HELB loans without delay,” the circular dated May 29 reads.
To make the process more efficient, school principals or their deputies will serve as identification agents for students—taking on a role traditionally held by National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), who oversee verification during ID registration.
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Education officials at both regional and county levels have been directed to coordinate closely with County and Deputy County Registration Officers to ensure the successful implementation of the exercise in all secondary schools.
The government anticipates that this proactive approach will reduce common delays faced by students transitioning to higher education or the job market due to the absence of national identification documents.
By Cornelius korir
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