The Kwara State government has assured stakeholders of its commitment to generating accurate, reliable and timely data for effective planning and policy formulation in the education sector.

Lawal Olohungbebe, commissioner for education and human capital development, gave the assurance during a stakeholders’ engagement meeting with Education Management Information System (EMIS) officials from the 16 local government areas, on Friday in Ilorin.

Mr Olohungbebe emphasised the importance of credible data to drive educational reforms and sustainable growth, just as he commended the stakeholders’ commitment.

According to the commissioner, the administration prioritises data-driven education policies, stressing that accurate statistics are crucial for informed decisions and planning.

He urged heads of schools to cooperate with EMIS officials by providing timely information and avoiding admitting students beyond their schools’ carrying capacity.

He praised Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his consistent support and interventions in the education sector.

In his goodwill message, Raheem Adaramaja, the executive chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), noted that EMIS is pivotal to a robust school system, expressing confidence that the discussions would yield enhanced data collection outcomes.

The permanent secretary of the ministry, Olanrewaju Rebecca, acknowledged stakeholders’ collaboration as vital for comprehensive coverage.

She encouraged participants to share experiences and adopt strategies for a successful annual school census in 2024/2025.

The director of education planning, research and development, Adeshina Azeez, stated that the upcoming EMIS exercise for 2024/2025 will combine analogue and digital tools to ensure data accuracy, reliability, and efficiency.

(NAN)