Thika West Sub-County Deputy Registrar of Deaths and Births Janet Wambu has asked parents whose children will be joining class eight next year and do not have birth certificates to start registering them early.
Wambu said many parents wait until the exam year to get the birth documents which are required during Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam registration.
"Registration of births is a requirement by law and is always ongoing at our offices and in the chiefs' and sub-chiefs' offices. Parents with children expected to sit KCPE exams and do not have these certificates should go there and apply for them early," Wambu said in her Thika office on Tuesday.
She said some candidates end up missing out in the national examinations for lack of birth certificates.
Wambu also appealed to school heads to start asking for the documents early so that those without them can start applying in advance.
"It takes up to one week to obtain the certificate but when the work load is compounded by the last minute rush, it may take longer," she added.