Government Launches School-Based National ID Registration Drive for 18-Year-Old Students.
In a move aimed at empowering youth, the government has launched a school-based national ID registration campaign targeting secondary school students who have reached the age of 18.
This effort, running throughout the second school term from May to August, is designed to ensure that eligible students obtain national identity cards before they complete their secondary education.
The registration initiative, spearheaded by the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services through the National Registration Bureau, is being conducted directly within schools across the country.
Officials have emphasized that the main objective is to prevent any eligible learner from missing out on essential opportunities—such as HELB loans, job openings, or tertiary education placement—due to the lack of a national ID.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok stressed that obtaining the ID card would give students a smoother transition into post-secondary life, including access to higher learning institutions and employment.
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Bitok said the school-based registration would accelerate the process, particularly in hard-to-reach areas where registration services are not easily available.
In a circular dated May 29, titled Facilitation of School-Based ID Registration Exercise, Bitok directed all regional and county education directors to ensure school principals within their jurisdictions actively support the rollout.
The directive instructed school heads and their deputies to serve as identification agents for students, replacing the role normally played by National Government Administration Officers during registration.
To facilitate this, Bitok urged school administrators to identify eligible learners and collaborate closely with County and Deputy County Registration Officers. He said such collaboration would be key to the smooth implementation of the exercise and the timely issuance of national IDs.
This registration campaign forms part of wider reforms aimed at digitising and streamlining citizen services. According to officials, it may serve as a prototype for future government programmes designed to support young people.
Bitok added that once registered, students would no longer face delays in accessing crucial government support and services after completing their education.
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One school principal expressed support for the initiative, stating that it brings government services closer to learners and reduces the financial burden on parents. A student also voiced excitement, saying they would now complete school knowing they’re ready to apply for university and HELB loans immediately.
The school-based approach not only eliminates logistical barriers but also represents good news for thousands of students set to benefit from quicker, more accessible ID registration.
Government Launches School-Based National ID Registration Drive for 18-Year-Old Students.