Credible Data: Kwara govt commences school census for effective planning, policy formulation

The Kwara State Government has assured stakeholders of its commitment to generating accurate, reliable and timely data for effective planning and policy formulation in the education sector, THE PRIME NEWS reports.

The Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr Lawal Olohungbebe, gave the assurance during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting with Education Management Information System (EMIS) officials from the 16 Local Government Areas, held on Tuesday at the Ministry’s headquarters, Ilorin.

Declaring the meeting open, Dr Olohungbebe emphasised the importance of credible data to drive educational reforms and sustainable growth, while commending the commitment of stakeholders.

Quoting Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Commissioner said, “Our administration is determined to ensure every education policy is founded on credible data. Without reliable statistics, informed decisions and effective planning are impossible.”

Dr Olohungbebe urged heads of schools to cooperate with EMIS officials by providing timely information and avoid admitting students beyond their schools’ carrying capacity, praising the Governor for his consistent support and interventions.

In his goodwill message, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Raheem Adaramaja, highlighted the centrality of EMIS in strengthening the school system and pointed out that deliberations would enhance data collection outputs across assignments.

The Permanent Secretary, Mrs Olanrewaju Rebecca Bake, acknowledged stakeholders’ collaboration as vital for comprehensive coverage, encouraging participants to share experiences and adopt strategies for a successful annual school census in 2024/2025.

The Director of Education Planning, Research and Development, Mallam Adeshina Azeez, revealed that the 2024/2025 EMIS exercise would use both analogue and digital tools to enhance accuracy, reliability and efficiency in data collection.

THE PRIME NEWS gathered that the meeting was attended by Directors from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Kwara State Bureau of Statistics, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) and Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), reflecting broad participation and commitment to credible education data in Kwara State.