MORE than 48,000 Singaporean students who turn 15 this year can now register for their National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) at their own schools in a move to make it more convenient for them.

Previously, they would have to go to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Building to do it.

Under a joint initiative by ICA and Ministry of Education to streamline the process for NRIC registration, ICA will send mobile registration teams to MOE-registered secondary schools that had made prior bookings.

The new process will cut the travelling and waiting time for students.

'With the registration exercise conducted in schools, the time needed for NRIC registration for each student is reduced markedly - less than five minutes in fact. Moreover, as opposed to registering at ICA Building, fewer documents are required and students need only to bring along their School Smart Cards as a form of authentication,' said a joint ICA and MOE statement on Monday.

Students from 167 schools will benefit from this joint initiative.