408,792 Children In Surabaya Already Determine KIA's Personal Identity

A number of junior high school students showed their Child Identity Card (KIA) in Surabaya City, Friday (10/2/2023). (ANTARA)

SURABAYA - The Population and Civil Registry Service (Dispendukcapil) of the City of Surabaya stated that there were 408,792 children in the City of Heroes, East Java, who already had a Child Identity Card (KIA).

"This number is 52.74 percent of the total children in Surabaya, which at the same time exceeds the national target of 40 percent," said Head of the Surabaya Dispendukcapil Agus Imam Sonhaji as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, February 10.

According to Agus, according to Permendagri Number 2 of 2016, the function of KIA is for the identity of the population for children under 17 years of age, because they are also residents who have constitutional rights to have identity documents for residents.

In the Permendagri, he continued, it is also mandated to expand the function of KIA so that it does not only become a identity card for residents.

"Well, in the city of Surabaya, its function is expanded to make the community happy at the direction of the Mayor (Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi)," he said.

So, he said, KIA Surabaya can also make payments or non-cash transactions with the support of the application that we usually call Katepay. This is a non-cash payment method to buy snacks and drinks at school canteens in Surabaya. In fact, KIA Surabaya can also be used to pay for boarding the Surabaya bus.

According to Agus, currently not all schools in Surabaya have implemented a KIA-based non-cash payment program with Katepay. Many schools are still in the socialization stage with the assistance of the Education Office.

"Those who have implemented this Katepay are SMP 42, SMP Khadijah, SMP 3 and SMP 28. We hope that in the future all schools can implement this," he said.

Agus emphasized that this Katepay has many benefits for children. First, children can get used to using the non-cash payment system that the government continues to encourage.

Second, with non-cash transactions, of course, this will make it easier to monitor or control the pocket money given to children. Third, this is a strong synergy between the Surabaya City Government Regional Apparatus and policy makers to continue collaborating to create intelligent and healthy children.

"So, parents can take advantage of Katepay who is integrated with KIA so that children are maintained when spending their pocket money in schools (cantins/operations), because the food is under the supervision of related agencies from their nutrition and hygiene and taste. In addition, children can be smart in managing expenses and safe from burglary of friends or other people because they do not bring cash," said Agus.

He also explained how to get the KIA, namely the applicant submits an application for a child's identity card independently, and can also be assisted by the kelurahan to register a request for a child's identity card. Furthermore, the applicant uploads the required documents in the form of PDF which can be done independently or assisted by the kelurahan in the Klampid New Generation (KNG) application.

"Then, the applicant validates the application on the KNG application. Then, the applicant accepts and prints the ekitir as evidence of managing the child's identity card service," he said.

The next process, the Surabaya Dispendukcapil registration officer will verify the completeness of the application file in the KNG application. The Surabaya Dispendukcapil registration officer validates by processing application data, then the Surabaya Dispendukcapil officer printing the child's identity card.

"Then, Surabaya Disdukcapil officers sorted and put it in the shipping queue, then the Surabaya City Dispendukcapil send the child's identity card to the kelurahan, and the applicant can take KIA in the kelurahan with an e-kitir. So, there is no need to go all the way to the Dispendukcapil office in Siola," he said.