Kenya Sets Up New Team to Develop National Student Register to Replace NEMIS

The Kenyan government has announced the formation of a multi-agency team tasked with creating a new digital education data system that will replace the current National Education Management Information System (NEMIS). The new platform, known as the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), is part of a broader push to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the education sector.

KEMIS will serve as a central database tracking learners from early childhood education through to university. One of its key features is the integration of civil registration data, which will enable each student to be assigned a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) from birth. This identifier will allow for consistent tracking of a learner’s progress throughout their education journey.

Piloting for the system is expected to begin in July 2025, with full rollout anticipated by September. The government says the new system will help curb issues such as inflated student numbers, ghost schools, and misallocation of education funds by providing accurate, real-time data for planning and monitoring.

The initiative is part of the wider Maisha ecosystem, a government project aimed at unifying digital identity and information systems across various sectors. The KEMIS project will be developed in collaboration with key stakeholders including the Ministry of Education, tech partners, development agencies, and other government departments.

Despite support from lawmakers and education leaders, concerns have been raised over the lack of budgetary allocation for the project in the current financial year. Nonetheless, the government has reiterated its commitment to moving forward with the development and implementation of KEMIS.