Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to assess The Practice and Challenges of Educational
Management Information System (EMIS) in woreda education office of Kaffa zone. Descriptive
survey design was employed to conduct the study. The major tools used for data collection were
questionnaires and interview. Census sampling was used to include sample respondents. Data
analysis was conducted by using frequency count, percentages, mean, and inferential. The study
was carried out woreda education office of Kaffa zone, in this 5 woreda education office work
process owners ,EMIS experts and EMIS structured Kaffa zone education department were
participated in the study.30 EMIS experts and 86 woreda education office work process owners
were included in this study. Overall, out of 135 target population 116(86 %) of them were
participated in the study. The results of the study average (X=2.18& SD=1.76) indicated that
there was no well-organized EMIS structure, organization and resource in place at all levels of
woreda education offices of Kaffa zone. The findings of this study revealed that education data
/information were not well organized systematically, because of lack of accountability, lack of
commitment, inaccuracy, unreliable, irrelevant and not valid data transfer. Moreover, the study
revealed that the Kaffa zones Woreda Education Offices haven‟t properly used EMIS for
efficient resource utilization, monitoring and evaluation of office activities. The Challenge of
EMIS identified by the respondents was insufficiency of ICT infrastructure, lack of poor
coordination, shortage of qualified manpower, and lack of adequate training. Thus, it is
concluded that EMIS was entangled with a set of problems that hinder the proper functioning of
its management. Therefore, to overcome these shortcomings necessary recommendations are
establish an autonomous EMIS structure at woreda education office level and put in place the
required amount of resources and design education information policy, motivate EMIS personnel
based on their performance, improve data integration and decentralized EMIS software up to
woreda education office level, Established data auditing system and create awareness through
relevant training programs
