Kogi Launches Digital School Census to Overhaul Resource Allocation and Policy Planning

The Kogi State Government has officially commenced its 2025/2026 Annual School Census (ASC), transitioning from manual data collection to a fully digital system integrated with the federal government’s infrastructure. The digital rollout was announced during a high-level stakeholders' sensitization meeting held at the Government House in Lokoja.

Representing Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, the State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, stated that the migration to the Digital Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS) portal is a strategic move to ensure educational data is qualitative, accurate, and secure. To oversee the execution of this statewide exercise, the government has inaugurated a dedicated DNEMIS Portal Committee, chaired by the Statistician-General of the State, Mrs. Ayoalari Irewole. The state has directed 30% of its annual budget allocation toward the education sector, making accurate statistical evidence crucial for funding allocations, school renovations, and teacher development.

The Director of Educational Planning, Research, and Statistics (PRS), Dr. Animoku Ahman Elizabeth, acknowledged that previous data capture efforts faced friction, notably due to low participation and resistance from private school operators who feared the data would be weaponized for tax collection. She clarified that the ASC is strictly a planning and research tool designed to map student populations and optimize teaching resources rather than an enforcement mechanism for taxation.