Galaxy Backbone Plc is providing connectivity solutions to enable data acquisition in 104 unity schools across Nigeria, aimed at providing cohesive data and tools for the analysis of information that would improve the Nigerian education sector.
The converged education sector portal created in 2008 by Federal Ministry of Education and hosted by Galaxy Backbone was designed with the aim of providing an enhanced method of collating, reconciling, clearing, storing and retrieving data that can enable users to make informed and evidence based decisions.
Yusuf Kazaure, executive in charge of Education, States & Development (EDS) Galaxy Backbone, said “The utilization of the database will lead to the attainment of high data integrity as well as realisation of full digitalisation and transformation of the Nigerian education sector. It will ultimately lead to the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals and EFA’s.”
The database provides external users and learning institutions at all levels, access to information in a timely manner which enables them to be more accountable. Users of the services are also able to access and analyse academic and financial operations using students’ characteristics such as age, gender, nationality as well as teacher, classroom subject and functional expense areas.
Commenting on the web hosting services of Galaxy Backbone, Franklyn Ginger–Eke, manager, Corporate Communication, said that “the concept of the Converged database is not a re-invention of the wheel. Rather, it is a replication of best practices all over the world”.
Als speaking Barnabas Attah, business manger (Education Sector), Galaxy Backbone, added that the database at full roll-out will include portals for financial management, human resources management, administration, student affairs, teacher matters as well as information on parents and visitors; and can lead to the transformation of the entire workflow and processes.
The project is divided into two phases. One is geared towards consolidation while the other is aimed at integration. The consolidation phase involves compilation of data within various departments of the Federal Ministry of Education including the education data bank, and parastatals into the Education Sector Converged Database; enrolment of staff in the Ministry and the Unity Schools. The second phase will integrate States and Local Government Area databases for the purposes of importing information into a holistic national education sector framework.
Attah also outlined numerous benefits of the converged database such as the elimination of waste of resources, duplication of efforts and multiple points of failure through multiple recording of the same information on different databases by different agencies and institutions in the education sector. It would also check the incidence of fraud including fraudulent certification, fake NYSC, ghost staff and students, etc. And ultimately lead to the restoration of trust and confidence in the education sector both at national and international levels through the conveyance of transparency.
