County Introduces Digital Attendance Tracking in Nairobi Schools

Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Nairobi County Government has rolled out a new digital attendance-tracking system designed to capture real-time data from schools across the city. The platform offers teachers and administrators a streamlined mobile application that records student attendance, monitors enrollment, and provides actionable analytics. Officials say this move aims to enhance accountability, reduce absenteeism and support policy decisions with accurate information.
The system builds upon earlier pilot programmes—including the use of NFC wristbands in the Dishi na County school feeding initiative—that already tracked student movement and meal access. For example, the wristband technology allowed the county to recognise when a child did not attend class or skip a meal. Under the new model, schools will update daily attendance via an app, linking data to the county database and enabling stakeholders to monitor trends such as chronic lateness or unexplained drop-outs.
Reactions among school communities have been largely encouraging. Heads of schools in Nairobi noted that the new system reduces paperwork and helps identify learner-attendance gaps earlier. Parents welcomed the transparency, mentioning that knowing attendance is tracked digitally gives them more confidence in the process. At the same time, some teachers and county officials expressed concerns about infrastructure readiness—especially in under-resourced schools where internet connectivity or devices may be inconsistent. Experts emphasized that while the technology is promising, equitable access and adequate capacity-building will be vital to ensure the system benefits all learners.
Looking ahead, the Ministry and County government plan to expand the system’s rollout to cover all public and private schools across Nairobi by early 2026. Training sessions for teachers and administrators are scheduled, and analysts say the attendance data will also feed into strategies for reducing drop-outs and improving learner-engagement. If implemented effectively and inclusive of vulnerable schools, the initiative could mark a significant shift in how attendance—and ultimately learner participation—is tracked in Kenya’s education sector.