Tanzania is not the first to attempt a unified education statistics system. Countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, and Malaysia have made notable progress in integrating education data into national planning frameworks.
Dar es Salaam. For years, Tanzania’s education statistics have told only part of the story. The Basic Education Statistics in Tanzania (BEST) reports have long been the country’s primary source of education data.
Produced by the President’s Office–Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), the reports have largely focused on lower levels of education, leaving higher education institutions (HEIs), especially private universities and colleges, underrepresented.
In a major leap forward, the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology has developed a new Education Sector Management Information System (ESMIS), designed to bridge this gap and deliver comprehensive statistics for the entire education sector.
The system, created by the ministry’s ICT experts in collaboration with other stakeholders, will collect, analyse, and manage data from all educational institutions, public and private, from primary level to universities.
Speaking earlier this year, Education Minister Prof Adolf Mkenda underlined the importance of the initiative.
“We are going to start producing an annual education statistics report that goes beyond what BEST provides. Through ICT systems, we will now generate comprehensive data from all schools and universities, including private institutions,” he said.
A missing link in policy and planning
Currently, the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) publishes data on university enrolments, admissions, and graduate numbers.
However, analysts point out that this information often falls short of policymakers’, researchers’, and development partners’ needs.
An education policy expert at the University of Dar es Salaam, Dr Salome Kessy, said the absence of a single integrated system has long undermined evidence-based policymaking.
She told The Citizen in an interview on Saturday, September 27, 2025: “You cannot plan effectively when your data is fragmented. While BEST gives a picture of primary and secondary education, and TCU covers universities, there is no system linking the whole education chain. ESMIS has the potential to change that.”
According to Dr Kessy, the lack of robust higher education data has also hindered assessment of whether Tanzania is meeting workforce demands in key sectors such as health, ICT, and engineering.
“If we cannot match training outputs with labour market needs, we risk misaligning our education investments,” she cautioned.
Tanzania is not the first to attempt a unified education statistics system. Countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, and Malaysia have made notable progress in integrating education data into national planning frameworks.
Kenya’s National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), launched in 2018, provides real‑time data on learners, teachers, and institutions.
It has been credited with reducing ghost enrolments, improving resource allocation, and enhancing accountability in public schools.
Similarly, Rwanda’s Education Management Information System (EMIS) has become central to the country’s education reforms, particularly in monitoring teacher deployment and assessing the impact of digital learning initiatives.
According to a 2022 UNESCO review, countries with centralised education data platforms not only improve transparency but also attract more support from international partners. Tanzania could leverage similar advantages once ESMIS becomes operational.
The stakes are high. Tanzania’s education sector continues to expand rapidly, with student enrolment in higher education surpassing 400,000 in 2024, according to TCU figures.
Yet private universities, which account for a significant share of this enrolment, often operate outside central data reporting frameworks.
By integrating such institutions, ESMIS will provide a clearer picture of the sector’s true size and performance.
Experts argue this could influence everything from budget allocations and infrastructure planning to evaluation of national skills gaps.
Education consultant, Dr Thomas Jabir described the move as “long overdue.”
“A complete dataset helps the government and stakeholders know where to invest and how to evaluate outcomes. Without data, reforms remain a matter of guesswork,” he said.
He added that access to accurate data will also strengthen accountability.
“Once the system is open and transparent, it will be easier to track whether funds allocated to education are used effectively. It is not just a technical tool; it is also a governance tool,” he said.
The ESMIS team submitted its prototype to ministry directors earlier this month for review and recommendations.
Once completed, the system is expected to become a cornerstone for education planning and reporting.
Challenges remain, including the need for capacity building in data entry and analysis, especially in rural schools and colleges where ICT infrastructure is limited.
Experts also warn that the system’s success will depend on consistent funding and political commitment.
Yet optimism prevails. Prof Mkenda has emphasised that ESMIS is part of the ministry’s broader vision of an education sector guided by research, evidence, and inclusivity.
“We want every study conducted and every dataset collected to contribute meaningfully to the improvement of education for all Tanzanians,” he said.
