WGEMPS participates in SADC Peer Review of EMIS in Swaziland

Published on Friday, 17 January 2014

Based on a request made by the SADC Secretariat at its recent annual ministers meeting in Maputo, Swaziland and Botswana were designated to undergo a SADC Peer Review of their EMIS systems based on the SADC EMIS Norms and Standard Framework approved in 2012.

The ADEA Working Group on Education Management and Policy Support (WGEMPS) participated in the Swaziland mission November 24-30, 2013. Ms. Angela Arnott, Coordinator of WGEMPS, represented ADEA.

The mission introduced the assessment practice to senior decision makers in the Ministry. It also reviewed the country assessment undertaken by the national team composed of key role players in EMIS, Planning, Budgeting, the Central Statistical Office and Directors from pre-primary, basic education, secondary, technical vocational education, non-formal and higher education.

The mission undertook a review by peers on the assessment framework, and agreed on a national assessment in the four areas of policy, resourcing, statistical processes and information dissemination. The mission presented its findings to key stakeholders on the final day of the week’s assessment. A finalized report will be submitted to SADC with recommendations for national action.

SADC Member States have developed and customized a set of 17 Norms for Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) measured by key standards regarding the Policy, Resourcing, Statistical Processes and Information Dissemination practices with which Ministers agree all member countries should comply.

The SADC Secretariat is now implementing the process of assessing country compliance with the assistance of peer member states and experts so as to benchmark country performance. This will enable SADC to identify capacity needs of countries and look at resource mobilization to address these.