Assessment of Educational Management Information System (EMIS) Implementation in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of EMIS program in Oromia Regional State. The study follows descriptive design and a mixed research approach. Regarding data gathering method, the study employs a survey method of data gathering tools like questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion, document analysis & observations. Cluster sampling and multi-stage random sampling technique was used for sampling school level population and purposive sampling techniques were used for sampling EMIS data producers (EMIS staff) and EMIS data users (stakeholders). The Total sample population selected for this research were, 380(272 school directors & 25 EMIS staff and 83 EMIS stakeholders) from a total of 908 population selected from 6 zones 12 woredas, 219 primary schools & 26 secondary schools in Oromia Regional State. For this study, primary & secondary data was collected from school principals, Woreda, zonal, regional education offices and respective Stakeholders. The frequency counts and percentages were used to analyze the background information of the respondents. Whereas the quantitative data obtained in relation to main questions of the study was analyzed by using mean scores with standard deviation. The scores of each item was statistically organized and imported into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS-20) to obtain sum, mean value and standard deviation. The finding of this study reviles that, the implementation status of enabling environment for implementation of EMIS was evaluated as an emerging stage, while system soundness, quality data and education data utilization were evaluated as Established stage and the overall status as moderate level. The main gaps identified were lack of legal- framework, lack of accountability & responsibility for data, absence of data-driven culture, shortage of modern ICT materials & infrastructures, the system is non-dynamic & not elastic, communication between data producers and data users was very limited,. The study recommends that, Oromia Education Bureau must have legal framework with a clear legal mandate to collect information from all education and training institutions and bodies. The bureau should shift data collection, data analysis& data dissemination techniques from manual to modern webbased application and online technology. The data architecture and its blue-print should be prepared and implemented in the region. The statistical report should be customized to users need and effective dissemination strategy should be designed.