IBADAN — The Oyo State Ministry of Education has made birth certificates and National Identification Numbers requirements for school enrolment as the state continues efforts to digitise education records and strengthen the identification of pupils and students. The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Oyinloye Bamidele, disclosed the policy while discussing school enrolment and digital identity in Ibadan. She said the initiative was being implemented in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission and was aligned with the Federal Government's broader digital identity programme. According to the ministry, enrolment records in Oyo schools are now being digitised and stored in a central database, replacing a largely paper-based system. The move is expected to make it easier for education authorities to maintain accurate records and manage information about pupils and students across the state. Bamidele said the digitisation of education records was necessary because schools were operating in an increasingly digital environment. Once a pupil or student is registered, the information can be entered into the central education database, allowing authorities to maintain records more efficiently. The policy also links school enrolment more closely with Nigeria's national identity system. Birth registration provides evidence of a child's identity and age, while the NIN provides a unique identification number. Connecting these records with education databases can help authorities improve planning and reduce problems associated with incomplete or duplicated student records. However, the ministry identified the lack of birth certificates among some children as one of the major challenges facing implementation. Some parents have not registered their children's births, while others may be unable to provide the documents during school admission. The situation can be particularly difficult for children whose parents are unavailable or who live in communities where access to registration services is limited. To address the problem, the ministry has been working with NIMC to conduct registration exercises in schools with large numbers of pupils and students who do not have the required identity documents. NIMC officials can visit schools with registration equipment and enrol eligible students in batches after arrangements have been made with school authorities. The ministry has also provided some flexibility concerning NIN registration. While the identification requirements are part of the enrolment process, students who do not yet have a NIN can be given time to obtain one before reaching terminal classes, when the number becomes particularly important for national examinations. The approach is intended to prevent children from being excluded from education simply because they have not completed the identity-registration process. The policy has reportedly been in place across Oyo State for about two years, with the government encouraging parents to obtain birth certificates and NINs for their children. Officials believe early registration will reduce difficulties later in a child's educational journey and improve the accuracy of government records. Digital education records can also provide benefits beyond enrolment. Accurate information about the number and distribution of pupils can help authorities plan for classrooms, teachers, learning materials and other resources. It can also improve monitoring of school attendance and student movement between institutions. However, the collection and storage of children's personal information raises important data-protection responsibilities. The Oyo State Ministry of Education said its education database was not open to the general public and that access was restricted to authorised education officials. Researchers can only obtain approved information for specified purposes, while sensitive student information remains protected. The issue of data security is becoming increasingly important as governments digitise public services. Education databases can contain names, dates of birth, identification numbers and other personal information about children. Strong safeguards are therefore necessary to prevent unauthorised access or misuse. The Oyo initiative reflects a broader effort in Nigeria to connect public services through digital identity systems. If properly implemented, integrated records could reduce the amount of paperwork required from parents and improve the ability of government agencies to plan services. But the success of the system will depend on ensuring that children in rural and underserved communities are not left behind. Parents who lack access to birth registration or NIN services may require assistance from government agencies. School-based registration programmes can help bridge that gap by bringing the services closer to families. The policy also highlights the connection between legal identity and access to public services. A birth certificate can be important for school admission, examinations and other official processes, while a NIN is increasingly used to establish identity across government and financial services. Ensuring that children are properly registered from an early age can therefore have long-term benefits. For Oyo State, the immediate objective is to create a more reliable and efficient education-record system while ensuring that students are not denied access because of documentation difficulties. Continued cooperation between the Ministry of Education, NIMC and other relevant agencies will be necessary to achieve that balance. The initiative represents another step toward the digitalisation of education administration in Nigeria. Its success will ultimately depend on how effectively the state combines improved record management with privacy protection and practical support for families who face difficulties obtaining identity documents.