Gov't To Issue National IDs To High School Students Above 18 Years

The Ministry of Education has announced that the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, through the National Registration Bureau (NRB), will conduct a National ID registration exercise targeting eligible high school students.

In a letter dated May 29 and addressed to all Regional and County Directors of Education, Principal Secretary for Basic Education Julius Bitok announced that the exercise will take place during the current second term of the school calendar.

PS Bitok noted that the initiative aims to ensure students above 18 years have easy access to tertiary education placements, job opportunities, and financial aid without delay after completing their secondary education.

“The State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, through the National Registration Bureau (NRB), intends to undertake a mobile National ID registration drive targeting eligible students in secondary schools during the current (second) school term (May - August 2025).

“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 upon completion of secondary education,” the letter read in part.

PS Bitok directed all the Regional and County Directors of Education to notify principals to collaborate with government officials in the exercise.

The Basic Education PS also noted that Principals and deputy principals will serve as identification agents for the students interested in applying for the ID cards.

“Please, also inform the principals that for the purposes of this exercise, they or their deputies will serve as identification agents for their students in place of National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs),” Bitok added.