The Ministry of Education has announced it will phase out the current National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) and introduce a new one, the Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS). The new system will address the inefficiencies in NEMIS and improve data management in the education sector.
Why KEMIS?
NEMIS was introduced in 2017 to collect and manage data on learners from ECDE to university level. However, over time it has faced challenges of data duplication, system errors and incomplete student profiles.
KEMIS will streamline data operations and fix the shortcomings of NEMIS.
“This is an opportunity to harmonize our education data systems,” said Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok during the Competency-Based Education (CBE) conversation at KICC on April 24, 2025.
What KEMIS will offer
KEMIS will go live in July 2025 and is part of the government’s plan to digitize and centralize educational data across the country. The system will be a one-stop shop for tracking data on:
- Learners from ECDE, TVET to higher education
- Teachers and support staff
- Education institutions
- Policy and research frameworks
“KEMIS will integrate all aspects of our education system – from schools and colleges to sub-county education offices. It will allow real-time data tracking and eliminate the issues we’ve had with NEMIS,” Bitok added.
Real-time data, fewer errors
One of the key benefits of KEMIS is real-time data integration which will:
- Eliminate duplicate records
- Track student progress across all levels
- Provide accurate reports for better decision making
- Improve data security and access for stakeholders including school heads, ministry officials and even parents
Addressing NEMIS challenges
Julius Kibiwott Melly, chairperson of the Parliamentary Education Committee supported the move. He acknowledged complaints from school heads and other stakeholders that NEMIS failed to capture accurate student data – especially in polytechnics, universities and under the new funding model.> “We’ve heard headteachers say some learners are not being captured in the current system,” said Kibiwott. “That’s why we’re here – to support the ministry in building a centralised and reliable data hub.”
Towards Education Reform
KEMIS is not just about upgrading technology; it’s part of a bigger picture. The government is aligning education data systems to its economic transformation agenda and service delivery goals.
Once KEMIS is fully operational, it will be a key tool in policy making, tracking everything from student enrollment and teacher deployment to education outcomes and resource allocation.