Towards Building a Sustainable HET-MIS system in Tanzania

By Nuru JingiliEMIS specialist

Definition of EMIS

• Educational Management Information System is an organized group of information and documentation services that collects, stores processes analyzes and disseminates information for educational planning and management.

• It is a collection of component parts that include inputs processes outputs and feed backs that are integrated to achieve a specific objective

• It is a system for managing a large body of data and information that can be readily retrieved, processed, analyzed, and made available for use and dissemination.

Main Objective of Emis

• T he main purpose of an EMIS is to integrate information related to the management of educational activities, and to make it available in comprehensive yet concise ways to a variety of users. These include – teachers, principals, curriculum planners,

inspectorate officials, financial controllers, planners, policy advisers and political leaders, as well as parents and students.

• In this way, the combined information resources of the EMIS are at the service of the entire community.

Objectives• To improve capacities in data processing, storage, analysis and

supply of educational management information so that education planners and administrators can avail themselves of reliable and timely data

• To co-ordinate and further improve dispersed efforts in the acquisition, processing, storage, transmission, analysis, repackaging, dissemination and use of educational Management information

• To facilitate and promote the use of relevant information by various agencies and individuals at all levels for more effective educational planning implementation and management

• To streamline the flow of information for decision-making by reducing and eliminating duplications as well as filling information gaps

• To provide information for policy dialogue a nd scenarios for development of the education system

principles of an EMIS

• eight main aspects or dimensions:– needs of producers and users– Data– information handling– storage of data– retrieval of data– data analysis– computer and manual procedures– networking among EMIS centres

Dimensions of Integration in an EMIS

• The EMIS operates essentially as a subsystem within the general country arrangements and organization for educational policy, planning and management. By establishing and maintaining a systematic inter-sectoral exchange and flow of information, an EMIS links the Ministry of Educationto other agencies and institutions in education and other sectors that are also engaged in educationalactivities.

• An EMIS aims to coordinate information resources such as the education statistics unit the education information and documentation services, and units and departments holding various administrative records for education. The aim is to integrate the various sources of educational management information into one coordinated system to serve the entire country.

HET-MIS

• An EMIS will be established to improve the management and administration of the HEIs and of the higher education sector. In particular, the system will support two levels of functionality: – HEI level:

• financial management, • HR management,• education administration and • student records management at the HEIs;

– MOEVT level: The generation of statistical and analytical reports for policy formulation, planning and sector-level decision-making by MOEVT and other national educational agencies.

HET-MIS• buy-in of all affected institutions in the deployment of an

EMIS is very important. • some of the functionality of an EMIS is already implemented

within some institutions in the HEI sector, e.g– The Student Loan Management System and its online application

system- HELSB– Central admission system-TCU

• Therefore, we will conduct a feasibility study into the best approach to follow concerning the selection and deployment of an EMIS, based on prioritized requirements including:

• Financial management • HR management • Student records • Student smartcard-based IDs

HET-MIS

• Following the outcome of the feasibility study, – Designing Emis apllication– implementing the EMIS.

• Due to the complexity involved, it is anticipated that the EMIS will be implemented by integrating several distinct packages or modules into a functioning system.

Overview of a proposed integrated HET-MIS

• The HET-MIS is a collection of subdatabases clustered around 3 main types of data:–  Administrative and institution-level

management data;– Quality assurance data for sub-sector

planning and management;– Statistical data for sub-sector

performance monitoring.

Overview of a proposed integrated HET-MIS

• As a web-based MIS, the HET-MIS may be housed in a virtual ‘centre’ on an institution’s website.

• HET-MIS sub-databases may be housed in relevant institutions, (e.g. universities, TCU, NACTE, HESLB).

The sub-databases should share: 

• a common set of indicators, including » process indicators (inputs, outputs), » monitoring indicators (outcomes) and

evaluation indicators (impact)

The sub-databases should share: 

– a software application which allows for cross-referenced data querying across HET-MIS sub-databases; ideally, it should also enable data querying across other sub-sector databases (e.g. secondary education, vocational education and training) in the existing ESMIS;

The sub-databases should share: 

• a logical reporting system which enables reporting outputs to ‘speak’ to each other; ideally, HET-MIS data should be reported in existing sector M&E reports, as far as possible

• software application may facilitate online data capture. (an Excel format may be used altenatively)

• The EMIS will assist in managing the full student lifecycle, including – student loans,– registration at multiple HEIs,– academic progress.

Description of subdatabases

Modules Data collection instruments Reporting outputs

Institution profile Format A: institution identification; programs; program capacity

Annual reports to the HEI / TI managementSummary data reports (Excel) submitted to MoEVT for the HET-MISSummary data reports (Excel) submitted to TCU / NACTE for the Q-MISAnnual STHEP results M&E report

Admissions module Format B: nominative data on applicants (by sex, age qualification, sponsorship, etc);

HR module Format C: nominative data on teaching and non-teaching staff (profiles); research outputs

Academic module Format D: nominative data on student registration for programs; continuous assessment; final examination by grade and credits *

Finance module Format E: finance information

Description of subdatabases

Modules Data collection instruments Reporting outputs

TCU module Format A: University Assessment (adherence to minimum standards)

Annual reports to TCU, NACTE, MoEVT managementBi-annual Quality Assurance annex to national statistical abstract (BEST)Annual STHEP results M&E report

NACTE module Format B: Institute Assessment (adherence to minimum standards)

Teaching quality module Format C: Classroom observation checklist

Learning quality module Format D: Standardized assessment tool

Staff tracking module Analytical tool using data from DeMIS HR module

Description of subdatabases

Modules Data collection instruments Reporting outputs

Statistical indicators for tertiary education module

Analytical tool using summary data reports from De-MIS

Tertiary Education section of BESTAnnual STHEP results M&E report

The summary report template for DeMIS should also be used to collect data from non-STHEP institutions, in order that all HEI and TI institutions report data for BEST

Any Questions?

Thank youBy

Nuru JingiliEmis Specialist

COSTECH