Registration for birth certificates moves to schools

By FAITH RONOH

Uasin Gishu, Kenya: Uasin Gishu County has devolved the registration of births to schools to fast track the certification process.

Mr Francis Idwasi, coordinator of the Civil Registry, said the exercise will now be done at every primary and secondary school in the county, while health institutions will continue registering children at birth.

Mothers with babies under six months who have not yet been registered will seek the service from their respective assistant chiefs.

Idwasi said the move is aimed at cutting down on costs for those who have to travel long distances to Eldoret town to obtain their birth certificates or register their children.

“Registration forms will be issued to heads of schools and health institutions to register students who do not have birth certificates. The forms will then be forwarded to the civil registry office where the certificates are processed,” he said.

The official disclosed that in the last financial year, the office issued 31,400 birth certificates to Form Four and Class Eight candidates together with other children in the county.

“We have now started the registration for Class Seven pupils going downwards since we have registered those in secondary schools,” he added.

Birth certificates are mandatory for KCPE and KCSE examination registration, but some parents have in the recent past complained over slow issuance of the same.

Occasionally, parents have been forced to camp at the registrar’s offices to monitor the dispaching of their childrens’ certificates.

The move to decentralise issuance of the document has been welcomed by parents saying it will avert delays that have been witnessed in the past.

“Last year I waited for my son’s certificate to be processed for over two months in vain. However, I am happy that we will now apply for the certificates from the comfort of schools,” said Ms Sally Jepchirchir.