The National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) has extended the deadline of registering for Senior Six, TVET level 5 and Teacher Training Colleges (TTC) national exams to May 10, 2022.

Bernard Bahati, the Director General of NESA told The New Times that it has now been mandatory for the candidates to integrate National Identity Cards in the registration system yet some do not have such required documents.

"The identity card is now mandatory because it will help us avoid errors, where we had certificates coming out with different names from those on the national IDs. Last year it took us over two months to correct identification on issued degrees and we want to avoid similar inconveniences,” he said.

Bahati disclosed that over 700 candidates had no identity cards and as of now, 65 percent of these are in the process of acquiring them.

"Registration started some months back. However, we dedicated the holidays for candidates to get photographed at their respective sector offices so they get identity cards. We are closely working with the National Identification Agency so that it gives priority to the candidates,” he said.

He added that the candidates can also refer to sectors close to their schools to get photographed as students start the third term on April 18.

"We inform all heads of secondary schools, TVET schools and TTCs and private candidates to work with parents and candidates to ensure registration goes well to avoid errors in the identification of the candidates,” he said.

Challenges

The official however said that some candidates are facing challenges in getting identity cards.

He assured that no candidate will be prevented from registering for national exams explaining that the issues will still be worked on to get ID cards before degrees are issued.

"Some candidates are not registered in the civil records system. Others have Identity cards but there are errors in their names and their parents’ names and it might not be possible to get all things corrected considering that it could take a long process to go through MINALOC to get things corrected” he explained.

He said that a new system has been introduced to ensure that when all candidates from P6, S6, TVET level5, and TTC register for national exam, they immediately get feedback on mobile phones via SMS to check if identification and choices of schools and options are correct.

Candidates speak out

Olive Uwilingiyimana, a candidate from TTC Nyamata in Bugesera district told The New Times that she submitted her identity card to school leaders for help in correcting identification.

"On my ID, it is written that I was born in 1999 yet in primary exams, ordinary level exams it shows that I was born in 2001. We hope to register after the ID cards are corrected,” she said.

A number of questions about the issues of Identity cards have also been put to NESA on Twitter.

"You had promised us in the announcement that we could get identity cards during holidays.  But we went to get photographed at sector offices and told us they are not aware of the programme,” asked one Fils Boni Aimable.

Another one wrote: "We got photographed during holidays but we have not yet got our identity cards to take them to school to be able to register for national exams.”

"You should work closely with school leaders to help S6 students because it is very difficult to get an ID card. There are also those with Identity cards but have errors that need to be corrected.

Candidates are told to go to NIDA offices but when they reach there they are not given any services yet students can’t go back to school without ID card,” another social media user asked.

NIDA responds

In a responding tweet, NIDA said: "We have received issues and complaints from candidates for national exams who need ID cards, the issues are being assessed and we assure that they will be solved. Those seeking to get photographed, can also get photographed at sectors close to the schools.”