In French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa, millions of children remain excluded from the school system. Among those who access education, more that 55% of children starting primary school do not have the sufficient level in the language of instruction and nearly 29% do not have adequate skills in mathematics (over 52% and nearly 62% respectively, at the end of primary education).

Dropout rates remain high, especially among girls and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Furthermore, the quality of teaching and the suitability of training courses for the needs of the job market and sustainable development goals continue to be major concerns.

To address these challenges, decisions concerning education must be informed by relevant, reliable and up-to-date evidence. However, collecting, processing and using these data are often hindered by the lack of equipment and ill-adapted technology, as well as by insufficient or inadequate staff training.

The importance of data in decision-making is also often underrated, while the absence or poor quality of data can lead to implementing ineffective, if not counter-productive policies that do not address the population’s real needs.

The GPE KIX Africa 21 Hub, steered jointly by the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (Association of Francophone universities), CONFEMEN (Conference of Ministers of Education of French-speaking States and Governments) and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (International organization of the French-speaking world) through its subsidiary body, the Institut pour l’éducation et la formation (Institute for education and training), works to promote knowledge and the use of education-related data in 21 francophone sub-Saharan African countries. 

A scoping study of education ministries in sub-Saharan African, conducted by the GPE KIX, identified three priorities requiring greater attention:

1. Taking individual learner records into account in education management information systems (EMIS)
2. Integrating socio-economic, demographic, and learning results data into the national EMIS
3. Using data for efficient resource allocation at the decentralized level, for monitoring learning outcomes and community engagement.

In this respect, the KIX Africa 21 Hub is well positioned as a key player in the improvement of EMIS in partner countries.

This commitment was confirmed at the regional workshop organized by the KIX Africa 21 Hub in Togo, in partnership with the African Union (AU) and Togo’s Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education.

In April 2024, 11 of the Hub’s partner countries recognized the need for high-performing EMIS that comply with AU norms and standards, to promote the development of education on the continent.

Moving towards more dynamic and inclusive data systems through strategic partnerships

By developing strategic partnerships, the KIX Africa 21 Hub is strengthening the sharing of expertise and country experiences. The regional workshop organized in Togo, in collaboration with the African Union, aimed to build partner countries’ capacity to enhance and transition their EMIS to EMIS 2.0 - a more dynamic and inclusive version.

Indeed, this version is designed around the users, with user-friendly features and real-time data availability. It is also more inclusive, as it engages local communities and local authorities.

However, transitioning to EMIS 2.0 is not without its challenges. Existing systems are faced with a lack of funding, shortage of qualified staff, obsolete infrastructures and fragmented databases.

The recommendations resulting from this workshop include:

• Earmarking budget lines dedicated to EMIS, with at least 0.15% of the national education budget allocated to EMIS
• Evaluating existing EMIS according to AU norms and standards
• Developing EMIS-related strategies by aligning the technical and financial partners’ interventions with national priorities
• Gradual transition to EMIS 2.0.

The Lomé call to action on EMIS (in French) confirmed partner countries’ commitment and is an important milestone toward taking the necessary steps to transform education management in countries covered by the KIX Africa 21 Hub.

Synergies to support dynamic data use

The KIX Africa 21 Hub is committed to building solid partnerships with key players in the field.

Two studies funded by KIX are developing context-specific tools and resources to facilitate better understanding of educational data:

• Empowering districts and schools with data: A digital platform approach to co-create and scale education management information systems innovations
• Data Must Speak About Positive Deviance Approaches to Learning.

In Madagascar, the use of EMIS databases to analyze educational performance has proven more successful than traditional surveys, arousing considerable interest from other countries, thus promoting experience and skills sharing.

Through close collaboration with these initiatives, the KIX Africa 21 Hub continues to promote sharing of expertise so that each country can deliver on its commitments as part of the Lomé call to action.

Learn more about the KIX Africa 21 Hub

We thank Dr. Maïmouna Sissoko-Touré, Coordinator of KIX Africa 21; Dr. Hamidou Boukary, Senior Program Specialist with GPE KIX at IDRC (International Development Research Center), and Renaud Comba, Education Research Manager at the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, for their invaluable contribution to this article.