The Abia State Government has articulated a Comprehensive Education Management and Information System (EMIS) for implementation across the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing journalists after the State Executive Council meeting on Tuesday.

According to him, the EMIS is designed to centralise and digitally integrate education data across public and private schools in Abia State.

When fully operational, the system will warehouse all education-related data at the basic and secondary school levels into a unified central database, thereby enhancing planning, improving measurable outcomes and promoting data-driven policy decisions.

Kanu said the EMIS documentation exercise is currently ongoing in primary and secondary schools across the state’s 17 local government areas.

“The Education Management and Information System documentation exercise in our primary and secondary schools across the 17 local government areas of the state is ongoing,” he said.

He explained that the exercise supports the issuance of the Abia Learners Identification Number (ABSLIN) — a unique identification number for every pupil in the state — adding that all public and private schools have already been issued secured login credentials to access the EMIS platform.

“EMIS integrates education data and processes at the basic and secondary levels into a single central database. The system will support efficient school management, data-driven development and the planning of measurable outcomes,” the commissioner added.

Providing an update on the ongoing teachers’ recruitment exercise, Kanu said the process was progressing steadily. He disclosed that out of 36,415 applications received, 24,023 candidates have been shortlisted to participate in the Computer-Based Test (CBT).

He recalled that the state government had earlier employed 5,394 teachers and is targeting the recruitment of an additional 4,000 teachers in the current second batch.

Also speaking at the briefing, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, said the EMIS and ABSLIN initiatives would enable the government to track each learner’s academic journey from entry to completion of Basic Education, adding that each child enrolled in school would be issued with an Abia Learners Identification Number, and shall not change school without government approval.