Aimed at transforming the delivery of education by improving information sharing and efficiency in schools, the Ministry of Education on Monday launched the Education Management Information System (EMIS) software.
The software was designed with a series of applications to cater for the management of data at the ministry level and in classrooms.
It will enable administrators and teachers to efficiently manage data within the education sector data, enabling them to take effective measures to resolve issues.
The EMIS was launched at Pegasus Corporate Suites in Georgetown in the presence of key education officials, including head teachers and teachers from schools across the country.
The EMIS will also be able to store enrollment information, transfer requests, attendance, grades, end-of-year processing, class portal, teacher web pages, parent portal, teacher information, and timetables.
Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said she looks forward to seeing the system being implemented in an effective manner.
She urged teachers to take time to understand the system and how it works to contribute to improved learning.
“I truly want this to be such an integrated system that it’s not piloted anywhere. It is in every school, every learning institution, every education district, and every department…available to everyone who wants to track or determine how service can be improved by using numbers,” Manickchand said.
She added, “…In this country, there is very little space for people who don’t want to get familiar with how to use these systems. You will be left behind.”
Describing the software as a “new future” in Guyana’s education system, Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain said the launch of the software is the “most significant” thing that has happened in the education sector within the last 30 years.
Additionally, Chief Planning Officer, Nicola Johnson said the introduction of the new system will empower educators to make decisions based on evidence.
She emphasised that there will be enhanced accountability at every level whether it relates to a shortage of resources or teachers in a district.
“In this rapidly changing digital age, technology is being used to advance the education system. Implementing EMIS for us, isn’t just joining that trend. It’s about preparing our children for the 21st century. This will empower educators, policymakers and administrators to make informed decisions based on evidence,” Johnson said.
“…Transparency will be offered. We can ensure better accountability at all levels with such a system. We can identify gaps in the education system…EMIS can help us pinpoint and address these issues ensuring every Guyanese can receive a quality education thereby enabling us to address equity in the system,” she added.
Currently, a total of 1,573 educational institutions, including public and private schools, are registered on the system.
