Overview / Executive Summary
The Education Personnel Management Information System (EPMIS) is a groundbreaking initiative under the Transforming Education in Niger State (TENS II) Programme. Led by the Niger State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and supported by MRL® Public Sector Consultants Ltd, the EPMIS objective is to establish a centralised digital database of all teachers and non-academic staff in Niger State. In particular, the aim of the project is to provide a baseline infrastructure from which to plan for and deliver improvements to teacher deployment, enhance professional development, and support education policy planning by leveraging technology to collect and analyse real-time data on educational personnel.
Background / Context
Education is the cornerstone of development, and ensuring qualified, well-deployed, and adequately supported teachers is critical for delivering quality learning outcomes. Prior to EPMIS, Niger State lacked a comprehensive, up-to-date database of teachers and non-academic staff. This led to inefficiencies in teacher distribution, training gaps, and ineffective policy planning.
Under the leadership of His Excellency Mohammed Umaru Bago, Executive Governor of Niger State, the TENS II Programme was launched to modernise the education system. A major component of this was the Education Personnel Management Information System designed to collect, store, and manage real-time data on all teachers and non-academic staff in the State.
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education led the initiative, with support from other key ministries such as the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Ministry of Budget and Planning, Ministry of Communication Technology and Digital Economy, and others.
Problems / Challenges
Niger State faces several challenges in managing its education workforce, prompting the implementation of EPMIS to address these issues, which are:
- Lack of a Centralised Teacher Database: Until EPMIS, there was no unified system to record and track teacher qualifications, deployments, and professional development.
- Inefficient Teacher Deployment: There are some Local Government areas that had teacher shortages, while others have excess teachers in specific subjects.
- Limited Access to Training & Certification Data: There are no structured records of teacher training history, making capacity building difficult.
- Poor Data for Education Planning & Policy-Making: Incomplete and outdated information hindering effective decision-making.
- Limited Teacher Engagement & Feedback: Teachers and non-academic staff had no platform to provide input on education policies or express their professional needs.
Solution
To address these challenges, the Education Personnel Management Information System was developed with a comprehensive digital solution to:
- Create a Centralised Data Based Management System: A web-based platform to store, manage, and analyse teacher and non-academic staff data.
- Launch a Statewide Audit of All Teachers & Non-Academic Staff: Conducted a comprehensive data collection exercise to establish an accurate baseline.
- Implement a Teacher Registration & Digital Questionnaire System: Allow teachers and non-academic staff to self-register and update their records via an online portal.
- Enhance Data-Driven Decision Making: Provide real-time insights for education policy planning and teacher deployment.
- Improve Teacher Engagement & Professional Development: Create a feedback mechanism for teachers and introduce a mandatory 5-day training programme to begin in 2025.
Execution / Implementation
Step 1: Development of the Education Personnel Management System
- A user-friendly online system was designed for teachers and non-academic staff to register their details.
- The EPMIS database was developed with real-time data tracking and analytics.
Step 2: Statewide Data Collection & Teacher Audit
- Group heads were mobilised to ensure that teachers and non-academic staff have access to the web portal.
- Data collected included qualifications, work history, deployment details, and professional development needs.
Step 3: Awareness & Engagement Campaigns
- A marketing & communication strategy was deployed, including:
Social media campaigns, radio broadcasts, school visits, and WhatsApp groups.
- Peer advocates and school administrators were involved in the mobilisation efforts.
Step 4: Validation & Quality Assurance
- Data entered into the system was verified for accuracy and completeness.
The system incorporated data validation mechanisms to detect discrepancies
Results and Impact
Not yet
Key Takeaways / Lessons Learned
Not yet
Conclusion & Call to Action
The Education Personnel Management Information System is a transformative initiative that is enhancing the efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of teacher management in Niger State. By leveraging technology and data analytics, the state is improving teacher deployment, professional development, and education planning.
Project Information
