No Hidden Tax Agenda Behind Education Database, FG Assures Schools

The Federal Government has moved to allay fears among private school proprietors, saying data submitted to the new National Education Database will not be used for taxation as it pushes for full participation while public schools have already reached 90 per cent capture.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance in Abuja on Tuesday at the official launch of the Digitalised Nigeria Education Management Information System (DNEMIS).

He said the gap between public and private school enrolment on the platform must close quickly if education planning is to reflect reality.

“When you saw the demonstration, almost 90 per cent of public school data had been captured, but private schools were only at about 50 per cent. I want to encourage every private school to register and upload its data.

“Do not worry, the government is not collecting this information to tax you. We recognise the critical role private schools play in Nigeria’s education sector,” he said.

Alausa said credible data is the foundation for reform and that DNEMIS will change how education information is collected, analysed and used to monitor schools, identify gaps and deploy resources.

“You have to get the data right. Data allows us to monitor, design interventions, evaluate outcomes and plan proactively for the future. Without accurate data, meaningful development is impossible,” he said.

The platform provides details on classrooms, teachers, enrolment, computer facilities, water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, and other indicators needed for supervision.

He noted that private schools now carry a large share of basic education, with nearly three-quarters of junior secondary schools privately owned and the number still growing.

“We need every school to be part of this system because education planning must reflect the realities on the ground,” he added.

The minister said education commissioners, local government education authorities and school administrators will have access to real-time information to support evidence-based decisions and improve service delivery.

He said the database currently holds records from about 90,000 public schools, with work ongoing to achieve full coverage of both public and private institutions. Nigeria’s education sector serves more than 50 million learners, he said, making timely and accurate data indispensable for national planning.

“We are building a system that will support policy decisions, improve accountability and strengthen education delivery across the country. Every stakeholder has a responsibility to ensure the information is complete and accurate,” he said.

Alausa commended development partners including the World Bank, the European Union, the Norwegian Government, UNICEF and other international organisations for supporting the infrastructure. He said implementation had faced delays until partners intervened to shorten the timeline.

“We were ready to invest whatever it took because without data, we would not know where development is needed. Our partners helped us overcome significant challenges and shortened the implementation timeline considerably,” he said.

He also acknowledged ICT experts and international collaborators who helped build an integrated and sustainable system, and pledged continued collaboration to keep the platform functional and inclusive.

He urged state governments to intensify awareness campaigns and mobilise schools within their jurisdictions to participate, while promising continuous engagement with stakeholders to improve data quality and expand coverage.

The Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics, Semiu Adeyemi Adeniran, also pledged NBS support for DNEMIS as the country’s single, reliable source of education data.

He said NBS would integrate its systems with the ministry’s database to improve planning, policy implementation and monitoring.

“We just want one true source of data for education, and we are going to link the NBS platform with the ministry’s system so we can produce and disseminate reliable education statistics with wider national coverage,” he said.

Adeniran said NBS will also map out-of-school children through household surveys and use Small Area Estimation data to validate the education database.

According to the DNEMIS dashboard as of June 1, 2026, records collated so far show 213,232 schools in the system, with 124,548 having reported, a reporting rate of 58.4 per cent.

The data also captured 40,130,454 learners, 1,193,877 teachers, 730,447 classrooms and 607,508 toilets, with more schools expected to upload in the coming weeks.