Accurate database is bedrock of national education reforms –Alausa
By Uji A Iliyasu Abuja
The Federal Government has called on state governments, local government authorities and private school proprietors to fully key into the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS), describing accurate data as the bedrock of credible education reforms.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made the call in Abuja on Tuesday during the official launch of the platform, stressing that quality education reforms could only succeed when backed by comprehensive and reliable data.
DNEMIS provides detailed information on classrooms, teachers, enrolment, computer facilities, and water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, among other indicators required for effective monitoring and supervision of schools nationwide.
The minister said the platform would transform how education data is gathered, analysed and applied, enabling all tiers of government to monitor schools, identify gaps and channel resources to where they are most needed.
“You have to get the data right. Data allows us to monitor, design interventions, evaluate outcomes and plan proactively for the future. Without accurate data, meaningful development is impossible,” he said.
Dr Alausa commended development partners, including the World Bank, the European Union, the Norwegian Government and UNICEF, for supporting the initiative, disclosing that although implementation had earlier suffered delays, these partners helped accelerate the rollout of the platform.
He also acknowledged the contributions of ICT experts and international collaborators who worked with Nigeria to build the integrated system, and pledged continued government collaboration with partners to keep the platform functional and inclusive.
Turning to private school proprietors, the minister urged them to upload their institutional data onto the national platform, allaying fears that the exercise was linked to taxation.
He noted that while nearly 90 per cent of public school data had been captured, private schools lagged at about 50 per cent, despite accounting for a growing share of basic education delivery in the country.
“Nearly three-quarters of junior secondary schools are privately owned, and that number continues to grow. We need every school to be part of this system because education planning must reflect the realities on the ground,” he said.
Dr Alausa added that education commissioners, local government education authorities and school administrators would be able to access real-time data to support evidence-based decisions.
He disclosed that the platform currently holds data from about 90,000 public schools, with efforts ongoing to achieve full coverage across public and private institutions, noting that Nigeria’s education sector serves over 50 million learners nationwide.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Mr Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran, pledged the agency’s full support for DNEMIS, describing it as the country’s single, reliable source of education data.
He said NBS would integrate its systems with the platform and deploy its Small Area Estimation data to validate information on the database, as well as support efforts to map out-of-school children through household surveys.