From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
In a collaborative effort, the Kaduna State Ministry of Education and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have launched a statewide digital initiative aimed at transforming the Education Management Information System (EMIS).
This initiative is designed to enhance education planning, transparency, and accountability.
Key components include the digitization of the Annual School Census and the creation of a real-time data dashboard for monitoring school performance statewide.
During the closing ceremony of a two-day training session held at Queen Amina College in the Kaduna South Local Government Area, Mr. Rabiu Yinusa, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, stressed the importance of addressing long-standing data inaccuracies that have impeded education delivery in Kaduna and across Nigeria.
Mr. Yinusa noted that the initiative would be rolled out across all 23 local government areas, impacting over 8,000 public and private schools. The reliable data generated from this system will inform infrastructure planning, teacher deployment, student tracking, resource allocation, and other vital elements necessary to strengthen the education system in Kaduna.
“Without accurate data, we cannot effectively plan or monitor projects. We won’t know which schools need infrastructure or where there are shortages of teachers, especially in critical subjects like science,” he explained.
Additionally, Mr. Yinusa revealed that the Ministry had previously encountered issues related to data loss and manipulation, largely due to insufficient tracking of data collection devices. To counter this, officials have been asked to return tablets that were previously distributed, with potential salary deductions for noncompliance.
A significant technological advancement includes the development of a digital dashboard for real-time monitoring of school-level data across local government areas. “With a single click, any local government can access information about a specific school. If someone attempts to submit inaccurate data, we will compare it with previous records and flag any discrepancies,” he said.
The senior official expressed optimism that the state’s 26% education budget for 2025, coupled with renewed political commitment, will ensure these reforms are fully realized. “We have a leader, not a ruler. Our governor runs an inclusive government that cares for the less privileged. I’m confident the 26% education budget will be fully implemented,” he affirmed.
Mr. Bala Dada, UNICEF’s Education Officer in Kaduna, highlighted that the digital census is part of a broader transformation of the state’s EMIS. Supported by the Islamic Development Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, and the Korea Education and Economic Development Fund, this project serves as the data backbone for the “Reaching Out-of-School Children” initiative.
“The digital EMIS will facilitate the collection, access, analysis, and utilization of education data to inform decisions and improve the quality of education delivery in Kaduna State. The digital platform will eventually integrate comprehensive records on students, teachers, learning outcomes, and out-of-school children. This will enable policymakers to make evidence-based decisions and respond more effectively to the education sector’s needs,” he added.
