The Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), has commenced a three-day step-down training workshop for Education Management Information System (EMIS) officers across the 18 local government areas of the state.
The three-day training, which began on Wednesday, is being held at the conference hall of the ASUU Secretariat at the University of Calabar.
The workshop focuses on the deployment of the Basic Education Management Information System (BEMIS) digital application to enhance the 2025/2026 school data collection exercise, with emphasis on improving accuracy, efficiency, and real-time reporting in the basic education sector.
Declaring the workshop open, the SUBEB Chairman, Mrs. Fedelia Okpo Ene, emphasized the importance of credible data in driving effective planning, policy formulation, and resource allocation in the education sector.
Mrs. Ene, who was represented by the Director of Administration, Mr. Joseph Asuquo Effiong, described the introduction of the BEMIS digital platform as a major step toward improving data integrity.
“Credible data remains the backbone of effective planning and policy formulation in education. The introduction of BEMIS will significantly reduce manual errors and enhance efficiency in school data management,” she said.
She urged participants to actively engage in the training and ensure that the knowledge gained is cascaded to stakeholders at both local government and school levels.
“I encourage you all to take this training seriously and ensure that what you learn here is transmitted to others at the grassroots. That is the only way we can achieve the desired impact,” she added.
The Chairman also commended Governor Bassey Edet Otu for approving and supporting the initiative, noting that it reflects the administration’s commitment to strengthening the education sector through data-driven policies.
In his remarks, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Jones Odiong, described the training as timely, noting that earlier delays were due to unforeseen challenges.
He lauded the state government’s commitment to evidence-based governance and emphasized that the careful selection of participants reflects the importance of the exercise to the overall development of the education system.
One of the facilitators, Mr. Edu Richards, delivered a lecture on monitoring and evaluation (M&E), highlighting the critical role of quality data in achieving measurable outcomes. He also provided insights into national and state EMIS policies guiding data management in the education sector.
Participants at the workshop described the training as impactful and enlightening. The EMIS desk officer and coordinator for the 18 local government areas, Mr. Emmanuel Anolicha, said the sessions provided valuable exposure to national EMIS policies, which many officers had not previously explored in depth.
Similarly, the EMIS and ICT officer representing Abi Local Government Area, Miss Oko Grace Iwara, noted that the training had significantly enhanced her capacity and would improve efficiency in her duties.
The workshop is expected to strengthen the capacity of EMIS officers and ensure a more coordinated, reliable, and technology-driven approach to school data collection for the 2025/2026 academic session in Cross River State.
Joy Ndoma
