Keeping accurate records of students has long been a challenge in Nigeria’s education system. But that could soon change as the Federal Government moves to create one digital identity for every learner.
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) says it is working with key education and identity agencies to establish a unified learner identity system that will help improve education planning, transparency and service delivery across the country.
The initiative will align the National Learners’ Identification Number with the National Identification Number (NIN) and the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS), creating a single, reliable identity for learners nationwide.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, disclosed this after a strategic meeting with the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, and the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote.
According to Garba, the discussions focused on using digital identity to strengthen education management and planning.
“The discussions centred on aligning the National Learners’ Identification Number with the National Identification Number (NIN) and the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) to establish a unified and reliable learner identity system,” she said.
Garba explained that the proposed system would improve the quality and reliability of education data, making it easier for government and other stakeholders to plan and make informed decisions.
She added that better data would strengthen transparency, improve planning and support evidence-based decision-making across Nigeria’s education sector.
“This initiative will enhance data integrity, strengthen planning, improve transparency, and support evidence-based decision-making across the education sector,” she said.
She also stressed that quality data is essential to delivering inclusive, equitable and quality basic education for every child.
Garba reaffirmed UBEC’s commitment to working with the Federal Ministry of Education, NIMC and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative.
“We remain committed to working with the Federal Ministry of Education, NIMC, and other critical stakeholders to build a digitally enabled education system where every learner is counted, and every child has the opportunity to succeed,” she said.
If implemented, the unified learner identity system is expected to improve learner tracking, resource allocation and education planning while supporting the Federal Government’s broader digital transformation agen
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