FG to unveil digital system to track every Nigerian school, learner

The Federal Government has revealed its intention to implement a national digital platform designed to tackle persistent issues related to fragmented education data. Officials have characterized this initiative as a significant advancement towards enhancing planning, policymaking, and service delivery within Nigeria's education sector.

This platform, referred to as the Digital National Education Management Information System, is set to be officially launched on Wednesday, coinciding with the introduction of the Public DNEMIS Portal and the establishment of DNEMIS State Implementation Teams.

During a media briefing held in Abuja on Monday, Mr. Adebayo Onigbanjo, the National Project Coordinator of the Special Programmes Operations and Implementation Unit in the Office of the Minister of Education, stated that this initiative aims to address years of inadequate and inconsistent education data that have hindered effective governance in the sector.

He remarked, "For many years, education planning and administration depended on fragmented systems, inconsistent reporting structures, and limited access to reliable and timely data. These obstacles have restricted effective planning, diminished accountability, and curtailed the sector's capacity to adapt to emerging realities."

He further noted that the Federal Ministry of Education has developed the Nigeria Education Data Infrastructure as a national framework to coordinate, standardize, and enhance education data management across all educational levels.

"At the heart of this transformation is DNEMIS, a flagship element of NEDI and a significant milestone in Nigeria's progress towards a modern, integrated, and digitally enabled education management system," Onigbanjo explained.

He clarified that the platform will deliver timely, reliable, and accessible data to facilitate planning, budgeting, policymaking, monitoring, and service delivery, ensuring that every learner, teacher, school, and public investment in education is included within a cohesive national database.

Onigbanjo stressed that the reform reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that education policies are driven by evidence rather than estimates.

“The progress recorded through NEDI and the implementation of DNEMIS reflects the Ministry’s broader commitment to ensuring that reforms are not only announced, but effectively coordinated, implemented and measured,” he said.

He added, “Data is no longer a back-office function. It is becoming the engine of education reform in Nigeria.”

Additionally, Miss Mojoyin Adebajo, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Education on Digital Communications and E-Learning, stated that DNEMIS was created using the internationally recognized District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) platform to modernize educational administration and enhance evidence-based decision-making.

She elaborated that this platform would digitize the Annual School Census, transitioning from predominantly manual data collection methods to a more cohesive digital system.

"By digitizing the Annual School Census process, the platform will furnish the government with timely, reliable, and accessible educational data to aid in planning, budgeting, policymaking, and enhancing service delivery throughout Nigeria's educational framework," she remarked.

Adebajo emphasized that the platform would allow the government to produce current information regarding schools, students, educators, and educational infrastructure, resulting in improved resource distribution and better oversight of educational programs.

She also pointed out the Public DNEMIS Portal as a significant aspect of the initiative, noting that it would, for the first time, make certain official educational data available to researchers, journalists, development partners, civil society organizations, policymakers, and the general public.

In her words, "This signifies a crucial advancement toward broadening access to information and fostering greater involvement in discussions that influence the future of education in Nigeria."

The officials also recognized the technical assistance provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund and the University of Oslo in the development of this initiative.