Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
As part of measures to improve data management in the education sector, the federal government has launched the ‘Nigeria Digest of Education Statistics (2014-2016)’ and the ‘Nigeria Education Indicators 2016″.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwukah said the government is determined to strengthen the education sector through availability of reliable and credible data.
“The publications will avail the citizen to know the approved registered schools in Nigeria, the student population (aggregated and disaggregated), and the indicators for evaluating access to education and monitoring quality in the system.”
According to Anwukah, funds have been made available for the Nigeria Education Management Information system (NEMIS) activities, which have resulted in the regular conduct of the annual school census, which is a major source for data collection in the education sector.
He also urged the states to show more commitment to the realisation of data management through better funding of the State Education Management Information System, by making them effective and functional.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, disclosed that the lack of proper data has affected proper planning and even the image of the country internationally.
According to him, data plays a major role in shaping almost every aspect of human life.
“The quest for timely, accurate, credible and reliable data is essential in the overall planning process in the education sector. Statistics puts information in the right perspective to guide the implementation of new policy, and evaluation of the policy “.
In the same vein, he said education statistics aids the decision making process by identifying areas which requires improvement.
Echono commended Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Anambra and Lagos States for proper planning, which has improved the overall quality of education, and addressing the out of school challenge in Nigeria.
Speaking further, he said the launch of the two new publications is a big step towards ensuring that every child in Nigeria counts and is catered for in the national scheme of things.
“These publications which provide new information and analysis on education sector in Nigeria are coming at an opportune time when the government is enhancing its commitment to education. We will ensure that efforts are put in place to ensure that accurate data is not just available, but reported in a timely manner.”
