Only 50 per cent of private schools captured on national education database – Nigerian govt

The Federal Government has urged state governments, local government authorities and private school proprietors to register on the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS), warning that the absence of comprehensive education data could undermine reforms in the sector.

The development was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during the official launch of the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System in Abuja.

According to the minister, the platform is designed to provide real-time information on schools, teachers, classrooms, enrolment, infrastructure and other key indicators needed to improve education planning, policy implementation and service delivery across the country.

Alausa said the Federal Government wants every public and private school in Nigeria captured on the platform to enable authorities identify gaps, monitor progress and channel resources 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.

The minister disclosed that while about 90 per cent of public school data has already been uploaded to the platform, participation by private schools remains around 50 per cent.

“When you saw the demonstration, almost 90 per cent of public school data had been captured, but private schools were only at about 50 per cent. I want to encourage every private school to register and upload its data.

“Do not worry, the government is not collecting this information to tax you. We recognise the critical role private schools play in Nigeria’s education sector,” he added.

Alausa noted that private schools now account for a significant share of basic education in Nigeria, saying their inclusion is critical to effective education planning.

He noted that the platform currently contains information from about 90,000 public schools, with ongoing efforts to achieve full coverage of both public and private institutions serving more than 50 million learners nationwide.

The minister also commended development partners, including the World Bank, the European Union, the Norwegian Government and UNICEF, for supporting the development and rollout of the education database.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics, Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran, said the agency would integrate its data systems with DNEMIS to improve education planning and ensure the availability of reliable education statistics.

Adeniran added that household surveys and Small Area Estimation data would also be used to validate information generated through the platform.