In a hurry? Here’s a quick summary…
- KCSE candidates will receive Maisha Cards before the end of exams to ease access to universities and HELB loans.
- Delays in issuing IDs have been addressed, with over 1.8 million Maisha Cards printed and distributed.
Candidates sitting for this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams will receive the new Maisha Card before the end of the assessment period, according to Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok.
The PS made this announcement on Tuesday while addressing the National Assembly’s Education, Research, and Technology committee.
Bitok emphasized that the issuance of ID cards to candidates who turn 18 during the exams, among the 965,000 students, will facilitate easier access to university and other tertiary education institutions.
He noted that this joint effort between the Ministries of Interior and Education aims to ensure that students entering higher education are not disadvantaged due to a lack of identification documents.
“We have mobilized registration officers nationwide to issue Maisha Cards to eligible candidates. This will enable them to apply for the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), scholarships, and other post-high school opportunities,” Bitok said.
He further revealed that the registration process for the Maisha Card is going paperless, with pilots underway at Huduma Centres and National Registration Bureau (NRB) offices in county headquarters. This shift is expected to ensure cards are issued within 10 days.
Read Also:
Hilarious ‘Misheveve’ Chief Shares His Life Journey and Newfound Fame
DCI Summons Rigathi Gachagua Over Assassination Attempt Allegations
Sean Paul Set to Make Long-Awaited Return to Kenya for December Concert
“You apply for your ID on the eCitizen portal, then visit a Huduma Centre or NRB office for biometrics, which are sent in real-time to NRB headquarters in Nairobi,” he explained.
Members of the committee, chaired by Julius Melly, raised concerns about delays in issuing ID cards, especially for students joining universities and other tertiary institutions earlier this year.
Tinderet MP inquired about measures to ensure timely issuance of IDs, which are essential for students to access HELB loans and scholarships.
Bitok attributed past delays to court injunctions that had halted the issuance of Maisha Cards, creating a backlog of 600,000 unprinted IDs.
He assured the committee that the government had resolved the issue by investing in a new printer and implementing a 24-hour work schedule. “Our daily applications average 10,000, but we can print up to 32,000 cards. So far, we’ve printed over 1.8 million, of which 1.29 million have been collected,” he said.
He urged applicants to collect the remaining 569,000 cards, noting that those with ready IDs had been notified via SMS.
Addressing concerns about an extra digit on the Maisha Card hindering loan applications, Bitok clarified that the HELB portal had been reconfigured to ensure compatibility.