Several students in Kericho are rushing to get their national identification cards after the government launched an on-site registration exercise targeting secondary school students aged 18 and above.
This is the first time in years that such a campaign has been rolled out in schools. The exercise, which started this week, is being carried out within school compounds, making it easier for eligible students to register without leaving their institutions.
At Kericho Secondary School, where the exercise officially kicked off, hundreds of students lined up to be registered. The activity was presided over by County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo and County Director of Education Julius Ngoneshi. They announced that the registration will run for two weeks and cover all secondary schools in the region.
They urged school principals and parents to support the campaign, saying the move is meant to help students access essential services such as higher education loans, passports, and job opportunities.
Kitiyo noted that this is not a new idea in Kenya’s history. In past years, ID registration was also done in schools.
He explained that students who get their IDs early will have an easier time applying for university admission, securing HELB loans, getting passports for studies abroad, and accessing other services that require identification.
“When you look at our history, this is not the first time IDs have been issued in schools. Even in the past years, it used to happen. For students who have turned eighteen and those who are lucky enough to go to university, it will be easier to access higher education loans. Those going abroad to study will find it easier to get a passport for travel, and others who need services that require an ID will also benefit,” Kitiyo stated.
The ID mania comes at a time when politicians are desperately intensifying efforts to court young voters ahead of the 2027 elections.
Convenience
The national rollout follows a directive from the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Julius Bitok, issued on June 3, 2025. In the directive, all Regional and County Directors of Education were asked to inform secondary school heads to facilitate the process during the ongoing second term, which runs from May to August 2025.
The exercise is spearheaded by the State Department for Immigration and Citizenship Services through the National Registration Bureau. The aim is to ensure that students receive their National ID cards before completing secondary school.
According to an earlier circular dated May 29, the initiative will help students avoid delays in accessing tertiary education placements, job opportunities, and financial aid such as HELB loans.
To speed up the process, the government has allowed school principals or their deputies to act as identification agents for the students. Normally, this role is done by National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), who handle ID verification.
“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 read.
Regional and county education officials have been instructed to work closely with County and Deputy County Registration Officers to ensure the exercise runs smoothly across the country.
The government said this school-based registration drive will reduce the number of students who leave school without national IDs, a common issue that causes delays in post-secondary transitions.
