Minister allays fears over birth certificates

By JOSEPH MASHA

The Government has assured parents that KCPE and KSCE candidates will not be barred from sitting for the national examinations due to lack of birth certificates.

The Assistant Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons Francis Baya(pictured) said his ministry and that of Education had discussed the matter and put modalities in place to ensure the delay in issuing the birth certificate to the candidates does not affect their registration.

He said to lack of necessary materials has affected issuance of national ID card.

Speaking to The Standard on Saturday in Kilifi Baya said the new national identification cards would include more details. Baya further said new ID processing machines have been ordered and processing of the national identification cards would continue in the next two months.

Baya dispelled fears among parents that their children might not sit for the national examinations due to lack of the documents. In the past, the national ID issuance has been marred by corruption but the assistant minister warned that the Government would not tolerate the vice. He said various claims have been made that officers in district offices are demanding bribes to process the documents.

The Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology has in the passed called for the suspension of compulsory requirement of birth certificates in the registration of national examinations.