By IHECHINYERE CHIGEMERI-UWOM

The Abia Government has introduced an Education Management and Information System (EMIS) and the Abia State Learning Identity Number (ABSLIN) initiatives to strengthen data management and learner tracking in the state.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, made this known on Monday during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting, in Umuahia.

Ubochi said that the initiative would enable the state government to monitor each learner’s academic journey from entry to completion of basic education.

He said: “EMIS which is also referred to as integrated education platform is a system where every data that has to do with education is warehoused.

“What we intend to do in this very respect is what we call Abia State Learning Students Identity Number, where every child that is in the basic and secondary education will have an identification number.

“When there is an identification number, the progress of the child will be monitored right from the inception until the person exits the basic education.

“That’s what we intend to do and with this, we’ll be able to monitor the progress, the movement, because we noticed that our children move from one school to the other abruptly, anyhow, without any control.

“The Ministry will be in charge of the movement of our children from one school to the other, be it private or public. That’s what we intend to do with this.”

Also, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Okey Kanu, said that EMIS had been designed to centralise and digitally integrate education data across public and private schools in the state.

Kanu explained that the platform would warehouse education data at basic and secondary levels into a unified database to enhance planning, measurable outcomes and evidence-based policy decisions.

He said that all public and private schools across the 17 local government areas had received secure login credentials to access the platform.

The information commissioner said that EMIS supported the issuance of ABSLIN, which is a unique number assigned to every pupil in the state.

“The Education Management and Information System (EMIS) documentation exercise in our Primary and Secondary Schools across the 17 Local Government Areas of the State is ongoing.

“The exercise supports the issuance of Abia Learners identification number and all public and private schools in the state have received secure login credentials for EMIS access.

“EMIS, of course, is integrating education data and processes at Basic and Secondary levels into one central database.

“The system will support the efficient management of schools, data-driven development, and planning of measurable outcomes in schools,” Kanu said.

He disclosed that 36,415 applications were received in the second batch of the teacher recruitment exercise, with 24,023 candidates shortlisted for the Computer-Based Test (CBT).

He said that the CBT date would be announced in due course, adding that 5,394 teachers were earlier employed, while 4,000 teachers were targeted in the second batch.

The commissioner said the Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education Programme for the 2025–2026 academic session had resumed across the 17 local government areas.

He added that a sensitisation campaign was ongoing to boost enrolment, particularly among school dropouts, traders and artisans.

Kanu also said the state emerged overall best at the recently concluded National Basic Education School Sports Games, winning eight gold medals in athletics.

He said that the trophies were presented to Gov Alex Otti at the Executive Council meeting, adding that the governor had pledged to host the victorious team.

Kanu further said the state had, for three consecutive years, ranked best in the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

He described it as evidence that the administration’s education reforms were yielding measurable results. (NAN)

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