Strengthening Resilient Education Management Information Systems in Africa
Presenters at the Panel Session on EMIS in Africa at CIES 2025
Credit
GPE KIX

Members of the KIX Africa 19 Hub consortia, led by UNESCO-IICBA, showcased critical work on building resilient education management information systems (EMIS) across five African countries during a panel session at the 69th International Conference on the Comparative International Education Society (CIES) held recently in in Chicago.

The session highlighted how countries are addressing EMIS challenges through innovative approaches, with representatives sharing insights on strengthening data systems from early childhood education through teacher professional development. Cross-country collaboration through the GPE KIX hub platform emerged as essential for knowledge sharing, while speakers emphasized the importance of designing national EMIS systems that effectively capture educational objectives and include marginalized populations.

Over 30 researchers, experts, and representatives from various organizations attended the panel, which featured presentations from education officials from Lesotho (Makhube Ralenkoane, Head of Curriculum and Assessment, Ministry of Education and Training, who is also the KIX focal point), Zambia (Ebby Mubanga, Teacher Council of Zambia, under the Ministry of Education) and Uganda (Patrick E. Muinda, the Acting Commissioner in charge of Information Technology at the Ministry of Education and Sports), alongside contributions from the African Early Childhood Network and the African Union's Pan-African Institute for Education for Development.  

The speakers presented on various subjects, including how the KIX Africa 19 Hub contributes to strengthening education sector capacities in EMIS; how Lesotho is addressing key challenges and gaps, while leveraging promising practices and innovative technologies; how teacher management information systems (TMIS) are used to enhance continuous professional development among teachers in Zambia and Uganda; and how evidence is used to advocate for improved education quality and build resilient, sustainable education systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, starting from the early childhood care and education  level. 

Key session highlights: 

  • The GPE KIX hub platform provides critical infrastructure for cross-country learning, collaboration and knowledge sharing which countries should actively leverage for EMIS development and processes.
  • National EMIS systems should be strategically designed to address specific data needs within  national education sector plans and priorities, with data collection instruments tailored to capture educational objectives.
  • EMIS systems need to become more comprehensive and inclusive by addressing data gaps for marginalized populations including refugees, early childhood education information, developing robust teacher-related data systems, and creating a seamless integration between national EMIS and TMIS. 

For more information on the session, the panel presentations are available here.