A three-day workshop aimed at strengthening South Sudan’s Education Management Information System (EMIS) concluded in Juba, marking a significant step toward improving data-driven education planning in the country. The session was organized by the African Union Pan-African Institute for Education for Development (AU IPED) through the Global Partnership for Education Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (GPE KIX) Africa 19 Hub, in partnership with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the South Sudanese Ministry of General Education and Instruction.
The workshop brought together senior ministry officials and technical teams from departments including EMIS, Planning and Budgeting, ICT, and Policy. Participants engaged in cross-functional dialogue to align efforts on the production, management, and use of education data—a critical component for tracking progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026-2035).
Officials opened the event by underscoring that reliable, well-governed data systems are foundational for effective planning, resource allocation, and improved learning outcomes. “Without reliable data, planning remains guesswork; strong education systems are built on strong information systems,” stated Hon. George Maggo, Director General for Planning and Budgeting.
Through technical consultations and system mapping, AU IPED guided participants in tracing the journey of education data—from paper-based classroom registers to national reporting. The analysis revealed a largely manual, fragmented EMIS landscape heavily reliant on partner-supported tools, with limited integration between data streams. This fragmentation leads to parallel reporting, inconsistent indicators, and delays in data availability.
Field visits to public schools in Juba validated these findings, highlighting the heavy reliance on paper-based collection, the burden on school staff, and infrastructural constraints such as limited connectivity and power supply.
The workshop identified persistent challenges: fragmented systems, limited technical capacity, manual data processes, inadequate ICT infrastructure, weak stakeholder coordination, and low domestic financing. In response, participants prioritized system-level reforms, including strengthening data governance, standardizing collection tools, improving partner coordination, building sustainable capacity, and investing in ICT integration.
A key outcome is a costed national EMIS action plan, developed under ministry leadership with AU IPED support. The plan outlines prioritized interventions across five areas: capacity development, data quality, ICT and system integration, governance and policy, and decentralization. It provides a sequenced roadmap for resource mobilization and implementation.
As South Sudan shifts from emergency response to long-term system strengthening, the workshop’s outcomes support a transition toward institutionalized, evidence-based education management aligned with national and continental goals. “Transforming education systems requires us to confront difficult realities and make deliberate choices,” said Adoumtar Noubatour, Head of AU IPED. “Strengthening education data systems is not easy—but it is essential.”
