Education News: KEMIS Set to Replace NEMIS, But Critics Argue It’s an avenue to loot

Education News: KEMIS Set to Replace NEMIS, But Critics Argue It’s an avenue to loot

The Ministry of Education has announced the launch of a new centralized student database called the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS), which will take the place of the current National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).

KEMIS is set to begin its pilot phase in July 2025, with full implementation planned for September. The system aims to unify all student records from early childhood education through to higher education into a single, cohesive platform across Kenya’s educational landscape.

Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok stated that KEMIS will improve planning, transparency, and service delivery in the education sector. Each learner will receive a Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) at birth, which will be used throughout their education and linked to the national civil registry.

“The launch of KEMIS represents a significant step towards making data-driven decision-making fundamental to education planning and service delivery in Kenya,” Bitok said in a statement.

The Ministry believes KEMIS will help eliminate the inefficiencies seen in NEMIS, such as the presence of fictitious students and inflated enrollment figures. The new system will also be accessible through a mobile app for parents, educators, and other stakeholders. It will integrate with immigration and civil registration databases to ensure updates are automatically linked to birth and death records.

In addition to managing learner data, KEMIS will provide real-time analytics for transitions between educational levels and offer insights for budgeting, resource distribution, and performance evaluation.

Officials indicated that the ICT Ministry would support the system, with contributions from the Konza Technopolis Development Authority, as well as input from teachers’ unions and Members of Parliament.

Concerns About Priorities, Transparency, and Procurement

While the government presents KEMIS as a vital reform, various observers have expressed concerns regarding its timing, purpose, and potential effects.

Critics highlight that the education budget recently faced substantial cuts from the National Treasury, including no funding for essential elements like national exams and support for the existing NEMIS. In this context, the introduction of a new digital system, which will likely require new tenders and procurement contracts, has raised suspicions among education stakeholders.

Some question whether replacing NEMIS is the most urgent issue in the education sector right now. Without a clear audit or justification for phasing out NEMIS, doubts remain about whether this change is truly aimed at systemic reform or merely administrative restructuring.

Additionally, there are concerns about who will benefit from this transition. Questions have been raised about the procurement process, the vendors of the new system, and the risk of it becoming another expensive digital initiative with little long-term benefit if not implemented properly.

Data privacy and integration with civil registries have also been scrutinized. The proposed lifelong Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) linked to birth and death records has sparked fears of surveillance and misuse, especially in the absence of comprehensive national data protection measures.

Furthermore, with Kenya’s education system already undergoing numerous reforms, such as curriculum changes and teacher training updates, some stakeholders worry that the government may overwhelm the system with administrative changes that do not directly enhance learning outcomes.

Lack of Public Engagement and Evaluation

Observers contend that the rollout of KEMIS has not involved sufficient public engagement or thorough evaluation of previous systems. There has been no published audit of the challenges faced by NEMIS, nor has there been widespread consultation with users—such as school administrators, teachers, and parents—regarding their needs for a national education database.

Consequently, there is concern that KEMIS might follow the same trajectory as other recent government technology initiatives—launched with great enthusiasm but ultimately failing to deliver due to poor execution, limited stakeholder support, or procurement-related issues.

Need for Clarity Moving Forward

To ensure KEMIS’s success, experts recommend that the Ministry of Education should:

• Clearly outline the shortcomings of NEMIS
• Publish a comprehensive implementation and evaluation plan
• Ensure the tendering process for KEMIS is transparent and accountable
• Provide adequate training and support for users at the school level
• Establish strong data privacy protections to safeguard student information

Until these measures are implemented, public skepticism is likely to continue. While KEMIS has the potential to revolutionize how Kenya manages learner data, the broader conversation remains centered on trust—not only in technology but also in the systems that govern it.