Strengthening EMIS Through Peer Learning: How Liberia is Leading Its Own Data Transformation

Reliable education data is essential for shaping the future of millions of children. Last September, I had the privilege of hosting education leaders from across West Africa in Monrovia, Liberia, for our country’s first Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) Peer Review. This event brought together EMIS leads from our country, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Nigeria to share lessons and chart a path toward more inclusive, reliable, and sustainable data systems. Facilitated by the African Union Commission’s Pan-African Institute for Education for Development (AU-IPED) through the KIX Africa 19 Hub, the collaboration highlighted that while each country’s education system is unique, the challenges and aspirations are remarkably similar.

Our EMIS journey has faced significant hurdles. Between 2022 and 2025, limited resources impacted our ability to consistently conduct reliable data. This gap has left policymakers without up-to-date information to guide evidence-based planning for nearly 1.5 million learners across more than 6,000 schools nationwide. A recent national EMIS assessment conducted under the AU EMIS Norms and Standards Framework highlighted both strengths and critical gaps. While the Ministry of Education operates under a general statistical mandate, the assessment revealed the absence of dedicated EMIS policy instruments, comprehensive data protection and privacy protocols, and enforceable legal mechanisms. As a result, the country scored particularly low in Policy and Legal Frameworks and Resource Availability, underscoring the urgent need for stronger institutional anchoring and more predictable financing to support regular, high-quality annual school censuses. 

In response to these challenges, and under my leadership as Deputy Minister for Planning, Research, and Development, the Ministry successfully conducted the 2024–2025 Annual School Census—the first since 2022. The data have been analysed and informed the Joint Education Sector Review held in December 2025 and the Mid-term Review of Liberia’s Education Sector Plan and Partnership Compact in 2026. This progress demonstrates both national commitment and the potential impact of strengthened policy support, while also reinforcing the need for sustained investment to institutionalize EMIS as a core pillar of education sector governance.

Peer learning was a central theme of the Monrovia gathering. Each country shared practical innovations:

• Nigeria institutionalized EMIS financing by mandating that at least 1% of the national education budget is allocated to EMIS operations, ensuring sustainability and accountability at all levels.
• Sierra Leone piloted a phased geo-mapping and learner ID initiative, starting with two counties. This approach integrates digital learner records and tracks enrolment, retention, and transition rates.
• The Gambia expanded mobile and SMS-based data collection tools to reach rural schools and accelerate validation timelines. Their hybrid model shows that even in low-connectivity environments, decentralized data validation can significantly reduce delays.

For us, in Liberia, these experiences provided both inspiration and practical guidance for the transition to EMIS 2.0—a system built on inclusivity, cost-effectiveness, and national ownership. 

A defining feature of our approach in Liberia is national ownership. Rather than being donor-driven, the process was led by us - government leaders, statisticians, planners, ICT teams, and regional officers. We spoke openly about our challenges: limited internet, lack of dashboards, and insufficient computers at the county level, but also expressed pride in our determination to build a system that works for our country, not just to meet international reporting requirements.

Our commitments were consolidated into a costed three-year EMIS Action Plan, outlining six priority areas that will anchor Liberia’s transition to a modernized and inclusive data system: 

1. Policy and Governance: Strengthening EMIS legal and policy instruments with clear enforcement mechanisms aligned to Liberia’s Education Sector Plan (ESP).
2. Data Systems and Standards: Introducing a unique national Learner and Teacher ID system for integration, monitoring, and traceability.
3. ICT Infrastructure: Investing in servers, dashboards, and connectivity for decentralized, real-time data collection.
4. Data Quality Assurance: Institutionalizing an annual validation framework and standardized data accuracy protocols.
5. Capacity Development: Establishing annual training for EMIS staff and county focal points to build technical expertise.
6. Sustainable Financing: Endorsing a financing framework where the Government of Liberia contributes 60% of resources, with 40% expected from development partners.

The plan, with a total budget of USD 4.5 million, reflects Liberia’s strong commitment to domestic financing, with 60 per cent funded by the Government of Liberia and 40 per cent by development partners. The education sector is currently benefiting from support through the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the World Bank–financed Excellence in Learning (EXCEL) Project, which focuses on improving foundational learning outcomes and ensuring that no Liberian child is left behind. As part of its system-strengthening approach, the EXCEL project, GPE’s system capacity grant, the EU and UNICEF provide targeted support for data system strengthening, alongside key infrastructure and capacity improvements, to enhance the availability, quality, and use of education data for evidence-based planning, accountability, and improved service delivery across the sector.

After hearing from regional peers, Liberia’s national team—comprising education officials, county officers, statisticians, planners, and development partners—examined how these lessons could be adapted locally. Through a national dialogue, we as stakeholders co-designed Liberia’s roadmap, focusing on four urgent priorities:

• Establishing a legal framework that compels all schools, public and private, to submit data.
• Implementing unique learner and teacher IDs to track progress over time.
• Strengthening ICT infrastructure and data integration across ministries.
• Securing sustainable domestic funding to reduce reliance on donors.

Beyond the technical discussions, the Peer Review reminded us that GPE KIX is about people - the commitment of those of us who serve in education systems, the voices of national leaders making change happen, and the connections among researchers, policymakers, and partners that make collaboration possible. 

GPE KIX builds a system of support and solidarity. For Liberia, this solidarity provides strength for the road ahead and aligns our data systems with continental norms and global commitments like SDG 4 and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 26-35).

To sustain this momentum, Liberia could explore South–South collaboration, such as exchange visits where our EMIS team shadows The Gambia’s DHIS2-for-Education integration and Sierra Leone’s GIS-based school mapping. Such collaboration transforms peer review outcomes into continuous improvement cycles. 

We are currently at a pivotal moment in Liberia. With strong political will, lessons from peers, and a clear action plan, we are committed to establishing a robust, digitized, and sustainable EMIS. This will not only strengthen evidence-based decision-making but also ensure equitable education opportunities for every learner.

Our EMIS journey also reinforces a broader lesson for the region. As The Gambia finalizes its EMIS 2.0 digital migration, Sierra Leone strengthens its learning assessment integration, and Nigeria scales state-level EMIS accountability frameworks, Liberia’s commitment adds a vital piece to West Africa’s collective education data ecosystem. 

This is particularly timely, as we prepare to publish our 2024 Annual School Census, a milestone that will showcase Liberia’s progress toward a more data-driven, digitally empowered education system. Together, these efforts represent a regional movement toward equity-focused, interoperable, and sustainable EMIS platforms that can transform education governance in Africa.