The government has launched a countrywide school-based campaign to register secondary school students for National Identity Cards (IDs), marking the first large-scale initiative of its kind in recent years. The registration exercise, which began in May and will continue through August 2025, aims to ensure that all eligible students aged 18 and above acquire IDs before completing their secondary education.
Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has directed all Regional and County Directors of Education to notify school principals of their responsibility in facilitating the process. The campaign is being spearheaded by the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services through the National Registration Bureau, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
In a circular dated May 29, PS Bitok emphasized that the initiative is intended to eliminate bureaucratic delays that often hinder students from accessing tertiary education, job opportunities, and government financial aid such as HELB loans. “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,” the circular reads.
To make the process more efficient, school principals or their deputies will act as identification agents for the students in place of National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), who traditionally handle such verifications. Education officers at the regional and county levels have been instructed to work closely with County and Deputy County Registration Officers to oversee the rollout in all public and private secondary schools.
The campaign is expected to register thousands of students across the country, with the government hoping to bridge the gap between school completion and access to key services that require identification.
While the government cites improved access to opportunities as the primary motivation, the timing of the initiative has drawn political interest. With the 2027 general elections on the horizon, there is speculation that the mass registration could influence voter registration efforts, particularly among the youth demographic—a key voting bloc in the country.
Regardless of political implications, the ID registration drive marks a significant step toward ensuring that students transition smoothly into adulthood with essential identification in hand.
