EMIS, drop-in and dropout in Eritrea

Purpose Many African countries grapple with school dropout, partly due to weak mechanisms for retaining children in schools, inadequate investment in education or concerns about the relevance of education to the current and future needs of children and their countries. Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) are expected to inform planning and decision-making processes for education service delivery to alleviate such problems. Yet the role and relevance of EMIS remain contested even in the best of circumstances. This paper explores the relationship among dropout, drop-in and EMIS in Eritrea, noting challenges confronting EMIS and arguing for increased focus on drop-in in EMIS. Design/methodology/approach The overarching methodology was influenced by interpretivism and constructionism. This research explored the following questions: What is the status of risk of dropout among Middle school students in Eritrea? What else can the Eritrean EMIS identify and measure? The first author conducted a descriptive analysis of existing quantitative EMIS data and interview data with students, teachers and government officials. Findings The key finding was the significant risk of dropout among middle school students in Eritrea. Secondly, whereas EMIS documented dropout rates annually, the system was not adept at identifying, documenting and analysing risks among students who drop in. There were tensions among diverse stakeholders about EMIS ownership, validity and reliability of the data and its management. Research limitations/implications The research was limited by inability to access raw EMIS data from the Ministry or from schools. Practical implications Nonetheless, the research highlighted the dilemma of using existing EMIS data for reporting on dropout and drop-in and recommended updating Eritrea’s outdated EMIS tools that were developed in 1993. Originality/value Relatively little research has focused on Eritrea’s education system. Although EMIS is widely considered a standard tool, this research found it problematic regarding its influence to improve educational access.