The Foundational Building Blocks

Legislation, policies, and regulations are implemented at all levels of the education system.

• Legislation: Refers to laws passed by parliament that must be followed. For instance, an education act may mandate the number of years children must spend in basic education, specify language/s of instruction, or define the Ministry of Education’s responsibilities, including its role in EMIS implementation.
• Policies: These are topic-specific guidelines that outline how to achieve certain goals or objectives. For example, an admission policy may detail the rules and procedures for enrolling students in schools.
• Regulations: Specific rules or guidelines set by government departments to ensure compliance with legislation and policies. For example, regulations may guide school principals on implementing a policy for administering exams.

While regulations and policies can be adjusted or amended as the needs of the system evolve, changing laws requires passing new acts in parliament through a rigorous process.

Aligning EMIS design with legislation, policies, and regulations

The EMIS design should align with the laws, policies, and regulations of the education system as it codifies these policies. Policies should also guide the design and implementation of the EMIS itself. Developing and adopting a comprehensive strategic vision for the EMIS is a critical first step, informed by the national legislative framework for the education system. This strategic vision should be supported by policy documents and regulatory instruments that enable implementation processes and create an environment that promotes evidence-based decision making at all administrative levels. Innovative technologies can further support the design and implementation of strategic policies.

Explore these essential resources to discover how Legislation, Policies, and Regulations support EMIS

1. The role of education management information systems in supporting progress towards SDG 4: Recent trends and international experiences – This resource reviews key takeaways from the 2018 EMIS Conference, as well as existing literature, identifying challenges across different countries and contexts, and highlighting factors that enable the development of effective EMIS.
2. How can EMIS be designed and implemented in ways that make them useful? – Part of the EdTech Hub Learning Series, this brief offers practical guidance for decision-making in low- and middle-income countries. It explores how to design and implement EMIS to maximise their usefulness, provides actionable insights, and highlights issues that may require additional work.
3. Modernizing Education Management with EMIS: Building back stronger from the COVID-19 Pandemic – This paper argues that to implement a modern EMIS, it will be important for policy makers to create the necessary legal, policy, and institutional frameworks, specifying key EMIS and data governance processes, and providing sustained funding commitments to support a multi-year process

Steps to ensure that education polices are reflected in EMIS design may include:

• Incorporate curriculum policies that cover all levels of the schooling system;
• Include policies around student enrolment and admissions;
• Include student pastoral care and disciplinary policies;
• Include examination policies, as well as their management and implementation;
• Ensure school infrastructure and facilities management policies are integrated;
• Incorporate textbook approval and provision guidelines;
• Include teacher management policies, such as minimum qualifications, licensing or registration, tenure rules, professional development, and disciplinary processes;
• Align with language policies; and
• Address intellectual property considerations.

How these topics are tackled within the policy landscape differs across countries and for different contexts. Some policymakers might develop a few comprehensive policies covering multiple topics, while others may design many shorter, targeted policies. Regulatory instruments typically cover EMIS, School Management Information Systems (SMIS), Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), and other system infrastructures, focusing on their interoperability, digital security, data protection, and quality assurance. Guidelines may take the form of minimum standards developed to support system implementation.