Growing concern over the rising number of missing and abducted children in Kenya has sparked fresh calls to schools and parents to adopt tracking technology as an added layer of protection for learners.

The call was made during the launch of a child-safety technology platform at Elimu ya Kenya School in Utange, Mombasa County, brings together QR code and GPS-based innovations aimed at safeguarding children.

Government data cited in May 2026 showed that 1,952 child abduction cases and 1,636 missing-child cases were reported between January 2025 and March 2026, a trend that has pushed technology firms to explore digital tools that can be woven into existing child-protection systems, especially during school transport, trips and sporting activities.

One such innovation is AfriCode   Pro Emergency QR, a platform that allows users to attach a QR code sticker to school bags, helmets and other personal items. Anyone who encounters the item during an emergency can scan the code with a smartphone camera and reach a designated contact, without ever seeing the owner’s phone number.

Speaking during the platform’s launch, AfriCode Pro promoter and owner Rangesh Nallan, from the United Kingdom, said the technology was designed to tap into Africa’s growing smartphone use while opening avenues for young people to take part in the digital economy.

He added that the platform could also support charities, schools and community organisations in fundraising and emergency response.

The company’s Chief Technical Director, Demola Ladepo, explained that once a user configures the QR code with personal details and emergency contacts, anyone scanning it can alert the owner or their emergency contact, along with the exact location where the scan took place.

“Every second can save lives,” Ladepo said, noting that the innovation was meant to make it easier for members of the public to reach individuals or their emergency contacts whenever an incident occurs.

AfriCode Kenya agent Joseph Muya said the technology could be particularly useful in enhancing the safety of schoolchildren during trips and activities away from school.

He said parents could place an Emergency QR sticker on a child’s bag so that whoever finds or assists the child can quickly contact a parent or guardian.

The proposal comes alongside renewed calls for GPS-enabled wristbands and bag-mounted devices that can help track a child’s movement between home and school, and assist parents, schools and security agencies in establishing a child’s last known location during an emergency.

Even so, stakeholders caution that such technology cannot replace conventional safety measures, including secure school gates, visitor verification, trained security personnel and reliable transport records. Concerns have also been raised over the need to safeguard children’s personal and location data, with calls for clear rules on who can access such information and how it is stored.

The promoters said they were now seeking partnerships with schools, insurance firms, charities and other organisations to explore how the technology can complement existing child-protection and emergency-response systems in the country.

“For schools, the technology could provide an additional layer of protection for learners, but its effectiveness would depend on responsible implementation alongside established child-protection measures,” Muya said.

By Ramadhan Nassib