Gov't unveils team to create new national register for all students to replace NEMIS

The team, led by the Ministry of Education and comprising State agencies, development partners, technology providers, and other stakeholders, will be responsible for establishing the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS). This new system is set to replace the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), which has faced criticism over inefficiencies.

Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok announced that the piloting of KEMIS will begin in July, with full implementation expected by September.

He said the new system will serve as an integrated database to guide education planning and the equitable allocation of resources across all levels of learning.

“The rollout of KEMIS marks a critical milestone in ensuring that data-driven decision making becomes the cornerstone of education planning and service delivery in Kenya,” said Prof. Bitok.

According to PS Bitok, KEMIS will eliminate the manipulation of capitation funds through the registration of ghost schools or the inflation of student numbers.

“By consolidating all learner data, from ECDE to higher education, into one platform, the system will enhance accuracy, transparency, and accessibility. It will ensure the government has the right statistics on every school to inform the distribution of teachers, capitation, books and other resources,” he added.

The system will unify fragmented databases for Early Childhood and Development Education (ECDE), basic education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, and universities. It will also store comprehensive data on learners, teachers, and institutions.

In addition to streamlining data management, KEMIS will address key concerns such as data privacy and security. It will enable real-time access to information for monitoring, evaluation, and analytics, particularly in tracking education transitions and other critical metrics.

Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang noted that KEMIS will be integrated with the Civil Registration Services and the National Registration Bureau. This linkage will support the issuance of a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) for every learner from birth, which will remain consistent throughout their life.

“Under the Maisha ecosystem, we will provide a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) to every newborn, which will also be used by KEMIS. In the event of death, the UPI will be the death certificate number. This will help us with accurate data on inevitable transitions,” said Dr Kipsang.

Members of Parliament, led by Education Committee Chair Julius Melly, expressed support for the system, emphasizing its role in shaping sound budget policies.

“Whoever has accurate data is well placed to make appropriate decisions on budget allocation. We shall support the Ministry’s legislative agenda in Parliament to ensure this transformative system is fully backed by law,” said Mp melly.

The unveiling comes amid discontent among legislators over recent deep cuts in the Education budget by the National Treasury, which left national examinations and the KEMIS initiative with no allocations. MPs including Mary Emaase (Teso South), Phyllis Bartoo (Moiben), and Joseph Makilap (Baringo North) attended the event.

Also present was ICT Principal Secretary Eng. John Tanui, whose department—through the Konza Technopolis Development Authority—will play a central role in implementing the digital infrastructure. Teachers' unions, represented by KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu, were also involved in the unveiling of the 15-member team.