The Federal Government has urged private school owners, state governments and local government authorities to register with the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System, warning that incomplete education data could undermine efforts to reform the country’s education sector.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the official launch of the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS).
Alausa said the digital platform was designed to provide real-time information on schools, teachers, classrooms, student enrolment, infrastructure and other critical education indicators needed for effective planning, policy implementation and service delivery.
He disclosed that while about 90 per cent of public schools had already been captured on the platform, only about 50 per cent of private schools had registered.
According to the minister, the low participation of private schools leaves significant gaps in education data, making it difficult for government to accurately assess needs and allocate resources.
“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,” Alausa said.
He appealed to proprietors of private schools to upload their data, assuring them that the exercise was not intended to introduce new taxes.
“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.
The minister noted that private schools now account for a substantial proportion of basic education providers in the country, making their inclusion essential for evidence-based policymaking.
He further revealed that the database 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 across Nigeria.
Alausa also commended development partners, including the World Bank, the European Union, the Norwegian Government and UNICEF, for supporting the development and deployment of the education database.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics, Semiu Adeniran, said the bureau would integrate its data systems with DNEMIS to strengthen education planning and improve the availability of credible education statistics.
He added that household surveys and Small Area Estimation data would be deployed to validate information generated through the platform, ensuring greater accuracy and reliability for decision-making.
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