NESIS National Teams Develop Modules on National Statistical Gathering and Analysis
Wim Jan Renkema
Associate-Expert
NESIS Program
An essential component of the National Education Statistical Information Systems (NESIS) program of the ADEA Working Group on Education Statistics (WGES) aims at producing a set of generic modules that addresses specific problems in national statistical gathering and analysis. Recently, four modules have been published, covering the following themes: From diagnosis to action plans, Education indicators, Records management, and Data collection.
Module development
In March 1992, Benin, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mauritania, Zambia and Zimbabwe began developing modules addressing key statistical concerns encountered in sub-Saharan Africa. These problems had previously been identified during the diagnosis phase of the National Education Statistics Information Systems (NESIS) program.
The program, run by the ADEA Working Group on Education Statistics (WGES) aims to create a set of generic modules that addresses specific problems in national statistical gathering and analysis. The modules are grounded on NESIS pilot project experiences involving the development and testing of procedures, prototypes, models and products related to the module subject area.
The first outcome of the work carried out by the NESIS national teams were national products, developed for the specific country context. In order to share the ‘good practice’ lessons, methods and tools with other countries, these national products were published and presented in Tours in October 1995, on the occasion of the ADEA Biennial. Since then, the national materials have been edited into generic modules which can be used by other countries having different educational systems and practices.
Modules content and format
The technical modules consist of application tools : “how-to-guides”, models, national examples and good-practice guidelines. The following four modules have been published recently:
- From Diagnosis to Action Plan
- Record Management
- Data-Collection
- Education Indicators
From Diagnosis to Action Plan presents detailed instructions on how to conduct a diagnosis and how to formulate an action plan, as well as concrete examples coming from the NESIS experience. The module includes the following sections: (i) guidelines for conducting a diagnosis and elaborating action plans; (ii) survey instruments to determine information for consumer and producer needs; (iii) the results of a diagnosis conducted in nine Anglophone countries and ensuing national action plans; (iv) the results of a diagnosis conducted in twelve Francophone countries and national action plans; and, (v) a summary of the NESIS experience in Zambia.
Record Management contains a manual on school records management, examples of school records, and a national case-study. Data-Collection is a general manual on the organisation of a national school census, combined with a range of country practices in this area. Education Indicators consists of guidelines for indicator reports and a training manual on the use of indicators.
The modules are intended to be used by system developers, education statisticians and planners in ministries of education, as well as by teachers and administrators who deal with records and data reporting. It is hoped that the modules will give useful guidelines, distribute professional knowledge, and provide inspiration.
The technical modules are intended to be flexible products, both as regards format and content. They are designed as easy-to-use and accessible “source books”. Their physical format, loose-leafed and punch-holed units in plastic binders, invites copying and adding one’s own products and notes. Furthermore, the NESIS modules are designed to be evolutionary as they will be updated regularly. New additions will be sent to the users who subscribe to this service. New units for the above-described modules will be available in October, at the forthcoming ADEA Biennial which will be held in Dakar. Other modules are being developed focusing on database design and management, financial statistics and teacher statistics.
The next step
The technical modules are neither self-sufficient nor universal in their application. Technical modules, no matter how well designed, will unavoidably end up idle if no careful consideration is given to effective implementation and adequate training. Hence, the modules will be supplemented with materials that will allow: (i) easy, flexible use in diverse learning situations (individual self-study, group instruction, tutor groups, on-the-job learning, etc.; and, (ii) adaptation of the technical content to meet the needs of new user-groups (user-targeted assignments and on-the-job implementation tasks will be proposed).
During phase III of the NESIS program, the modules will become the core of training packages consisting of: (i) a learner’s guide (suggestions for self-study and on-the-job application projects); (ii) a trainer’s guide (guidelines for training and tutoring); and, (iii) an institution guide (guidelines for course-management).
Direct support to sustainable capacity-building in education statistical information systems will be sought in two ways:
- by setting up professional networks of African consultants and trainers apt to provide technical assistance in the module area concerned. The use of electronic networks for quick “question and answer” services is envisaged.
- by organizing sub-regional training workshops, in close cooperation with African institutes and “centers of excellence”.
For further information on the NESIS modules, please contact:
The NESIS Program
UNESCO Division of Statistics
7 Place de Fontenoy
757352 Paris 07 SP France
Tel: (33) 145-68-24-65
Fax: (33) 145 68 55 20
E-Mail: kc.tung@unesco.org
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