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Uganda Ministry of Education & Sports - MOES Submission for an extension of work for Agile to implement a School Mapping Program for thousands of Uganda education institutions, after Agile's successful completion of EMIS II program.
"Since the inception of EMIS in 1999, it is Agile Learning Company Inc. which have designed a truly robust EMIS software, that is fully decentralized and integrates multiple technologies and functionalities that are effective and user friendly. For instance, the data capture module, allows for online and offline data capture using desk top computers, smart phone, SMS and GPS. The system also allows for a multi-user environment for data analysis reporting and sharing through comprehensive reporting module with exhaustive report export functionalities. Agile Learning Company Inc. is a fully accredited Microsoft partner whose solution were once voted as the “Microsoft Best Practice ICT Solution for Governments” during an Africa Best Practice Conference. The launch of new EMIS software designed by Agile Learning Company Inc. in 2010, modernized Uganda’s EMIS and ushered it into the path of stability and development. MoES has resolved to consolidate these gains...
The new EMIS solution was conceptualized as an integrated solution to enable all stakeholders at MoES to access management information... Additionally, other innovative enhancements included integrated GIS functionality to enhance decision making via the use of integrated Maps within the EMIS was adopted. To address the decentralization needs, the new EMIS was designed to link data between MoES and districts so that districts had access to the same KPI’s and other information related to their districts...Other key features included:
(i) Robust reports that are easy to access by all MoES stakeholders, rather than one statistician writing SQL (Structured Query Language) scripts;
(ii) Aggregated and disaggregated multi-annual reports on all Key Performance Indicators (from the national to school level and other demographics);
(iii) Integrated GIS maps and reports within the EMIS and each DEMIS;
(iv) The ability to link data from the EMIS to DEMIS and DEMIS to EMIS.
(v) The ability for DEMIS to receive critical data from schools via innovative technological solutions e.g. SMS, smart phone and school-based computer solutions. Initial testing of school-based technologies was conducted in 20 Districts, linking school data automatically to DEMIS;
(vi) The introduction of transactional data through the DEMIS, which would allow District management to begin to receive information from schools on a weekly or monthly basis to inform interventions related to budget and resource allocations.
The new EMIS-GIS software was delivered in 2010 with 4 years of data that had been migrated from the UNESCO EMIS to the new EMIS so that multi-annual reporting and longitudinal analysis could be used. "
OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, COMMISSIONER OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION:
“I am writing this letter in support of your partner Agile Learning Company who has successfully developed our innovative EMIS-GIS…As you know until mid-year 2010, I was responsible for the development of the EMIS program for MOES since 1999. The EMIS-GIS ICT solution that has been developed by Agile Learning Company is the most innovative solution that MOES has used, and is “the Sacred Cow” of our EMIS program. Over the past decade we had used well-known international EMIS solution provided by UNESCO and AED (ED ASSIST), but Agile’s decentralized EMIS is more thorough, comprehensive and user-friendly . Additionally in my previous capacity, I had served as the Uganda National Research Coordinator for the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ) which is a consortium of 15 ministries of education organized to focus on the improvement of the monitoring and evaluation of education quality. This group is organized by UNESCO. I can assure you that there is no EMIS ICT solution used by any of these countries that has the breadth and depth of Agile’s EMIS.”
ASSISTANT COMMISIONER of ICT (MOES) – Commenting on the strong value of Agile’s Mobile system which collected and sent real-time information from schools to the District EMIS, and the positive response from District Education Officer’s and District Inspectors of Schools:
“So you find that the people [school leaders] who are using these wireless – sorry - mobile phones to send information to the District Offices to the DEO’s, they are able to send information and the information can be processed because it is solar powered. I saw that with my own eyes, I took photos, and I’m really happy with what Agile has been able to achieve up country. And every DEO and Inspector- they are called DIS’s (District Inspector of Schools) that we met were very excited about the training that they received and the fact that they can use the system effectively to manage education information.”
Chairman Uganda National Inspector of Schools Association (also Arua Municipal Inspector) – about AgileDEMIS
CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO
“I would like to say as Local Governments, we are very, very grateful to MOES, particularly when you came up with this program on EMIS & DEMIS for the districts. The system has created a DEMIS for each and every local government and this has helped us a lot to sort issues -Colleagues have called and said they are further using this system to do simple Research .” “So this system works. Let us all work together to use it, so we can streamline the problems that we have been facing in the Ministry of Education and Sports.”
District Education Officer, Mbale District
“After those trainings, we also had follow-up trainings. We appreciate that Agile / USAID came down to local governments to do the follow-up training. They trained the teachers and some secretaries so that they could be sensitized in getting this information about DEMIS and SMS data collection. They appreciated it, they are all excited they liked it and in fact when you look around here talking to anybody they say I wish DEMIS would come down here because it is very convenient. There are no challenges.”
EMIS 2 REVIEW SUMMARY
“...the EMIS II program has been successful...When we are trying to assess the Implementation Strategies (1) the MAINSTREAMING of EMIS program implementation into the MOES structures was a very effective strategy in this program implementation; (2) The procurement of Agile Learning to provide the technology solution was Effective. Capacity Development of Local Governments has been good; deployment of the Technical Staff has been good, collaboration is also good.” (2014-End of EMIS 2 Review)
Uganda Districts (20 similar Endorsement Letters from District Education Officers managing over 6,500 schools):
a. "From the Chief Administrative Officer Mukono District -
I take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Education and Sports together with the Agile District Education Management Information System Company for the Information Technology (IT) innovation in support for the department of Education & Sports in Mukono District Local Government.
In addition with this new IT innovation, the district is able to receive reports generated from schools on time. Report includes:-school enrollments, pupils and teachers daily attendance and school facilities like water, electricity, etc., which are vital in the day to day management and decision making of the department.
The 21 pilot schools have gained a lot of experience in the management of Agile School Education Management Information System (SEMIS). This was evidenced in the seminar organized by the Agile Company recently.
Notwithstanding all that the significance of this communication is to request you to rollout AgileSchool (Education Management Information System) EMIS to all the schools in the District of Mukono Local Government."
b. Kampala City, Division Education Office
"Following the just concluded DEMIS and SMS training activity from Agile, my staff, head teachers and I have gone through from the month of August to today, I wish to request that the SMS program be rolled out in all the schools in Lubaga Division due to its efficiency in tracking teacher and student attendance.
Linked to that I would also request for implementation of the School management Information System (SEMIS) which will help us capture all the detailed information regarding students, parents, infrastructure and other relevant information at school level that would help improve our planning, budgeting and performance in the division."
Rwanda National Examinations Council (RNEC) on Web-based Mobile MIS:
" To Whom it May Concern:
This is to certify that AGILE was awarded a tender by Rwanda National Examinations Council (RNEC) for the design and implementation of an Examinations Coordination and Management Information System (ECMIS). The tender was successfully executed.
As part of this implementation, Agile Learning successfully developed and implemented the SMS/Web Based Exam Results Publication System within a very aggressive timeframe that we established. The system provided our nation’s students (and their stakeholders) with the ability to successfully access national examination results via their cell-phone or the internet. To date, 826,356 requests for examination result have been successfully provided by the SMS-Web-based solution in spite of a combined total of both primary and secondary school levels of only 226,774 candidates in 2008. In addition the Management Information system development by Agile provides excellent analytical and communications tools for the RNEC to be more effective in the critical management of our day to day activities.
Agile has demonstrated their commitment to a long-term partnership with us including a program to train our entire staff in ICT. On the basis of the work they completed for us, we believe they can do an excellent job in the development of similar solutions for other National Examinations Councils/Boards."
Executive Secretary, Rwanda National Examinations Council
Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Schools on EMIS
"To Whom This May Concern,
I write this letter recommending Agile Learning Company for the development of your Education Management Information System (EMIS). Our Ministry contracted Agile Learning to develop and implement a decentralized EMIS-GIS ICT solution that would enable our Ministry and District Education Offices to receive and use school information more frequently in their management activities. The EMIS also gives us the critical information we need at our Central Office for evidence based decision making purposes. The innovative EMIS system that they have develop is excellent, comprehensive and user friendly … Agile Learning just completed the development of an innovative SMS/Web technology application that was used by our National Examinations Council to enable all of our schools and students who sat for National Examinations to receive their examination results via SMS and the WEB.
Agile has demonstrated a detailed understanding of our needs; they are excellent trainers in ICT…I highly recommend them to expand the development of your EMIS, provide the training, and handle your implementation."
Rwanda Office of the President
Executive Secretary
Rwanda NEPAD Secretariat
“The Rwanda NEPAD Secretariat wishes to state that the NEPAD e-Schools Project has provided a significant benefit to Rwanda, in that, through the activities of the project, the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) was able to become aware of Agile Learning’s innovative ICT administration and management system. Through Agile’s activities in the NEPAD project as part of the Cisco and Microsoft consortiums, and the relationship that Agile developed with Mineduc, Mineduc made the decision to have Agile develop, provide the training and implement the National Education Management Information System (EMIS). The National EMIS system is the backbone for school, district and national administration and management, monitoring and evaluation and strategic planning for all education activities in Rwanda. There is nothing like a success story to validate a project. Congratulations to the e-Africa Commission/NEPAD Secretariat for your efforts in the project and your success in bringing critical solution providers to NEPAD active countries, and congratulation to the Cisco, Microsoft consortiums and Agile Learning for your efforts here in Rwanda.”
Director of Planning Policies and Capacity Building, Ministry of Education (MINEDUC)
“Our national EMIS Solution Provider is the Agile Learning Company, a recognized innovator in public sector management information systems. Agile is also highly recognized for their training and building capacity in ICT in education. For our implementation, Critical School Data from 2 separate districts was input into Agile’s system for electronic linkage to districts and ministry; no alteration, improvement or enhancements were made to our current ICT infrastructure in order to carry out the data linkage. School heads and district managers were selected and trained on the Agile system to obtain data from survey/interviews on their response to Agile’s system. The results were that Agile’s system provided critical school, student and teacher information, by gender, by geography, and by other parameters needed to monitor MDG, Vision 2020, Education Policy and Strategic Plans. Information linked electronically using our current ICT infrastructure - no improvements/alterations/enhancements were necessary. Agile’s system linked data in aggregated and disaggregated form, by the Key Performance Indicators for decentralized decision-making. The results of training at school and district level was that
• 100% stated that EMIS/SAMS improves efficiency in Academic Evaluation, Monitoring and evaluation in schools, report Compliance, and Ease of Communication to Parents and MINEDUC
• 100% stated that training on School-Based EMIS/SAMS is Top Priority for their own personal Professional Development
• 100% wanted the implementation in all of the national schools now. For our national EMIS implementation, Agile is building capacity at ministry and district levels first for ICT and change agency training, and to ensure that ownership/sustainability measures are in place at the Ministry level. EMIS will be installed in all 30 districts offices and all district managers will be trained in the next 15 months, while concurrent training is taking place at school levels to facilitate school implementation.”
Mtwara Regional Education Officer
"As you know, the Regional management has already written to you expressing a very strong interest in moving forward with Agile Learning to implement the localized version of your EMIS, after the end of the TZ21 Program. I can now confirm that having just completed this past week's EMIS orientation/training, all Mtwara's District Education and District Focal Persons expressed a similar desire to move forward with the full integration the AgileEMIS system in the Region. The District Management confirmed their interest because of the Agile District EMIS' thoroughness and uniqueness, its ability to import in real time all important academic and compliance information directly from the each school's EMIS from Mtwara Schools. They also strongly expressed their interest in having all schools use your School EMIS for data collection, school management and sending information to the District Officer.
This is to confirm that the Region wants to continue to work with the Agile in providing the long-term training, technical assistance and long-term integration of Agile's SchoolEMIS, TRC EMIS, District EMIS and Regional EMIS into the Region's management and planning activities, after the TZ21 Program is completed. The region is reporting its recommendation to PMO-RALG and MOEVT regarding the outstanding value of Agile's EMIS."
UNESCO-UIS TANZANIA
“As part of UIS-UNESCO regular activities in Zanzibar, I was at the Zanzibar Ministry of Education just before Easter holidays on 2nd April. Ministry colleagues attached to the planning/statistics/EMIS department in Zanzibar were undergoing training on the Agile EMIS system which is being developed by Agile Learning Company. The Ministry of Education invited UNESCO to observe. From my observation, a lot of progress has been made in the development of EMIS - the tool is especially user friendly, innovative, and will provide solutions at the school, regional, district and national levels. I think the EMIS tool will prove useful in supporting the generation of sector wide education statistics and indicators (statistical abstract) which the Ministry of Education hopes to embark on this year.”
Tanzania, Mtwara Region
Regional Administrative Secretary
"We visited Zanzibar MOEVT and met with PS, DEO's and other senior education managers last week. They told us they were very pleased with the EMIS activities that Agile Learning has brought to Zanzibar. That all schools and districts have been trained and there have been very positive response on your EMIS from the schools, TCs district and head office. They also informed us that they want to continue to work with Agile in the EMIS implementation after TZ21 is finished. We want to do the same in Mtwara."
Zanzibar MOEVT, District Education Officer - North B District (on receiving data entered by District schools into the Agile School EMIS and exporting it electronically to his District's EMIS).
"I would like to let you know that EMIS system works well. I am able to import school data into DEMIS. Getting data from schools by using thismethod (through the EMIS system), helps us to know school information and to be able to execute our duties with ease."
Zanzibar MOEVT, Unguja Urban District (on receiving data entered by District schools into the Agile School EMIS and exporting it electronically to his District's EMIS)
"I wish you to receive information data for my district, which I received. I am able to receive, import and export data out of the EMIS. This method makes it easy to get data quickly and to know the actual situation of a school and to serve them."
Head Teacher
“We appreciate the training (on School EMIS). For now we its easy to keep school information and accessing it whenever you need it is easy.”
Head Teacher
“I am grateful, the System (The School EMIS) is helping us a lot, we send data (to the district EMIS) with a lot of ease and accessing information in the system is ease too.”
Head Teacher
“We congratulate you upon inventing something (the School EMIS system) that makes work easy like this.”
(Ministry of Education Project Manager, Education Research Unit, Botswana Ministry of Education) – EVALUATION OF THE MINISTRY'S PILOT OF AGILE'S EMIS SOLUTIONS USING SCHOOL EMIS LINKED TO HEAD OFFICE EMIS:
“Agile Learning successfully completed the training sessions at the Mochudi Ministry of Education Media Centre, training the representatives (School Heads, Deputy School Heads, Heads of Department, and IT Coordinators) from the schools selected by Ministry to participate in the UNDP/SACI Agile Learning Project. Installations of SAMS have been completed at each of the schools that participated in the Project. Additional training took place with representatives from the participating MOE schools at each of their schools. Critical sample Annual Report, EMIS and MDG data was input by representatives of each of the Participating schools, and successfully electronically linked from the participating schools to the Ministry of Education via SAMS and the SAMS Central Governance Solution for review by Education statistics representatives, Monitoring and Evaluation representatives and Deputy Permanent Secretary. With the linkage of the data from the schools to the Ministry, the pilot phase of the project was extremely successful and has been completed.”
The School and Deputy School Leaders Participating in the PILOT OF THE Agile Decentralized EMIS System:
“For the last few weeks, we have been participating in the UNDP/Agile Learning SAMS Workshops, which has included training at the Mochudi Media Center and follow up training at our individual schools…The Agile SAMS solution has had a very strong impact on all of our participating school Leaders, Heads of Department, and IT Coordinators. We urgently need this solution for our schools, and the Agile SAMS needs to be implemented as soon as possible. The real-time information SAMS improves:
· Our ability to monitor and improve academic activities in each of our schools;
· Our teachers’ ability to be more effective in their classrooms;
· Our ability to communicate effectively and efficiently between schools, and with the Ministry of Education offices and representatives;
· Our ability to comply with providing the real-time EMIS information the Ministry needs in a timely fashion.
We are confident that the other schools in our nation will benefit greatly from the implementation and train of the SAMS so that this becomes a national solution; we wholeheartedly endorse a national implementation of this much needed solution.”
(Botswana Ministry of Education Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Permanent Secretary)
“Agile’s SAMS solution will most thoroughly address the issue of data management, strategic planning, evaluation and monitoring for the Ministry of Education and our schools.”
School Leader
“It [SAMS] can help me to plan, organise, coordinate and monitor the instructional tasks efficiently…The teachers will be able to:
· allow a teacher to retrieve information on student performance,…within minutes.
· Identify the weakness of pupils in each learning area, and put corrective remediation measures in place”
School Leader
“To be more informed on what’s going on at:
· Classroom level
· Individual level
· School level (Whole school activities) and use the above to be more focused on addressing academic issues, save time and prioritise on the needs and remediate where there is a need;
· Each child (once resources are available) (students to use SAMS) will have a chance to learn the “fun way” and only refer to teachers on problematic areas.”
School Leader
“It is an important program which can benefit not only administrator at school level, but throughout the Ministry of Education. It will enable the Ministry to trace everyone who goes throughout the education system…It will do wonders. Records which are always needed can be accessed from anywhere, it will reduce the problems we have in our schools, and accountability will also be easy as data will be able to assist or explain issues. Improvement of students and teachers will be easily traced. The running of the schools will be much easier as information can be easily obtained.”
Deputy Leader
“Agile’s SAMS covers all aspects of the school’s situation…Program is adaptable and helps to have information at someone’s fingertips…SAMS has all of the components needed. I have some aspects of SAMS at school, but it [SAMS] surpasses them in content and general completeness…This is the most powerful tool I have ever come across – the tool is just very powerful.” On the question of SAMS assisting teachers in improving student performance, this School Leader said, “This is wonderful because information is readily available. This can enhance support because students can be talked to on the basis of available information.”
Teacher
“AgileSAMS is a very good program which enables you as individuals to operate on your own pace effectively and efficiently…SAMS can be a motivational program for students and even for teachers…it saves a lot of time because when the Ministry wants something, you can simply retrieve information and email it”
Head of Department
"This is very wholistic. I am sold. We need this now to address the activities in our schools, and it can be instrumental in the effective implementation of the Pastoral Program."
Deputy School Leader
"I also had come phobia in Computers, but this system has made me enjoy working with Computers. SAMS can be One Giant Step Forward."
Teacher
“The storing of data and access is so user-friendly it doesn’t call for expert intervention.”
1. Tanzania Region - Mtwara Regional Education Officer
"As you know, the Regional management has already written to you expressing a very strong interest in moving forward with Agile Learning to implement the localized version of your EMIS, after the end of the TZ21 Program. I can now confirm that having just completed this past week's EMIS orientation/training, all Mtwara's District Education and District Focal Persons expressed a similar desire to move forward with the full integration the AgileEMIS system in the Region. The District Management confirmed their interest because of the Agile District EMIS' thoroughness and uniqueness, its ability to import in real time all important academic and compliance information directly from the each school's EMIS from Mtwara Schools. They also strongly expressed their interest in having all schools use your School EMIS for data collection, school management and sending information to the District Officer.
This is to confirm that the Region wants to continue to work with the Agile in providing the long-term training, technical assistance and long-term integration of Agile's SchoolEMIS, TRC EMIS, District EMIS and Regional EMIS into the Region's management and planning activities, after the TZ21 Program is completed. The region is reporting its recommendation to PMO-RALG and MOEVT regarding the outstanding value of Agile's EMIS."
2. Uganda Districts (20 similar letters from District Education Officers managing over 6,500 schools):
a. "From the Chief Administrative Officer Mukono District -
I take this opportunity to thank the Ministry of Education and Sports together with the Agile District Education Management Information System Company for the Information Technology (IT) innovation in support for the department of Education & Sports in Mukono District Local Government.
In addition with this new IT innovation, the district is able to receive reports generated from schools on time. Report includes:-school enrollments, pupils and teachers daily attendance and school facilities like water, electricity, etc., which are vital in the day to day management and decision making of the department.
The 21 pilot schools have gained a lot of experience in the management of Agile School Education Management Information System (SEMIS). This was evidenced in the seminar organized by the Agile Company recently.
Notwithstanding all that the significance of this communication is to request you to rollout AgileSchool (Education Management Information System) EMIS to all the schools in the District of Mukono Local Government."
b. Kampala City, Division Education Office
"Following the just concluded DEMIS and SMS training activity from Agile, my staff, head teachers and I have gone through from the month of August to today, I wish to request that the SMS program be rolled out in all the schools in Lubaga Division due to its efficiency in tracking teacher and student attendance.
Linked to that I would also request for implementation of the School management Information System (SEMIS) which will help us capture all the detailed information regarding students, parents, infrastructure and other relevant information at school level that would help improve our planning, budgeting and performance in the division."
3. South Africa Province – Western Cape Education Department (Province)
“For the past 18 months Agile learning have been closely collaborating with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) in the development of a computerized schools administration and management system (SAMS). The system that they have developed complies with and in some instances exceeds the specification that were given to them. They are one of two developers whose product was able to deliver the Snap Survey and other EMIS data to the WCED in electronic format. Agile Learning has been involved in our SAMS Project from the beginning and have always made very valuable contributions to the development of our system…they can be recommended as a company that will persevere and provide you with a solution that will meet your needs.” (Western Cape Education Department Director of Information & Technological Services)
4. Philadelphia School District (U.S.) Director, Special Education Low Incidence Program
Dear Sirs,
I am pleased to write this letter of endorsement in support of Agile Learning Company's life skills program, [which] was used in the Philadelphia School District. Their life skills training program was extremely effective in improving the social, emotional and cognitive skills of at-risk students.
I served as Special Education Administrator for the Southeast Region of the School District of Philadelphia, and I worked with Agile's Dr. Kenneth Gordon and his team during this multi-year implementation. The program was implemented with 25% of our special education population that included children with the most difficult emotional, behavioral and academic problems in the school district. Prior to implementation, none of the students had reading skills above the pre-primer level. The life skills programs taught the students fundamental social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
The outcomes of the life skills program were impressive, behaviorally, and academically. After 2 to 3 years in the program approximately 1/3 of all of the students could be transferred to regular classes because academic skills had increased to grade level and behavioral/social skills had improved. The remaining 2/3 of the students improved in their academic performance at least 1 grade level per year, which they had not been aboe to accomplish.
Given the increasing number of children who are educationally and socially disabled as a result of their behavioral and emotional impairments, it is critical that Agile's program is offered to reach the broadest number of students."
1. Microsoft - “Agile Learning Company’s Education Management Solutions have been selected by Microsoft as a Best Practices ICT solution for Governments.” (Announced by Microsoft's Chairman for Africa, Cheick Diarra)
2. USAID Independent Evaluation of Agile's EMIS II Decentralization Implementation in Uganda:
"Evaluation: Final; Contract Percent Complete: 100; Complexity: Medium ...
The EMIS II Program has three main objectives: 1) Decentralize Uganda's EMIS through effective roll-out to the district level, 2) Enhance institutional capacity to collect and use EMIS data at MOES headquarters, district local governments and pilot schools, 3) Increase demand for and use of EMIS data at all levels to improve Uganda's education system...The contractor will also provide EMIS-related training and capacity development to MoES staff including those at the headquarter, affiliate institutions, and districts...As part of the EMIS2 Program, the contractor supports the MOES in carrying out a multi-school pilot of innovative data collection technologies. The objective is to examine the potential of data collection technologies to successfully transmit real-time information electronically from schools to district and MOES headquarters and to evaluate the relative effectiveness of the three different transmission methods to determine the viability of their scale-up."
"The contractor [Agile] was focused on rolling out the EMIS to 112 districts, 22 municipalities, and 5 divisions of the capital city... The software will enable the Ministry to process their data in a timely accurate and cost effective manner.
USAID has reviewed the comments provided by the Contractor and agrees that Agile has provided sufficient additional information that warrants a change from Satisfactory to Very Good due to their ability to manage and adapt to delays in procurement and program rollout by the Ministry of Education...The project was completed on time...
Given what I know today about the contractor's [Agile's] ability to perform in accordance with this contract or order's most significant requirements, I would recommend them for similar requirements in the future."
3. United Nations Development Programme Southern Africa Capacity Initiative (UNDP-SACI)
"UNDP and Agile Learning Company have formed a Strategic Partnership to implement Agile's ICT solutions - SAMS and SAMS Central - in the Education sector in SACI countries. Their School Administration and Management Systems (SAMS and SAMS Central) can also be adapted to other key sectors such as Health, Agriculture and Public Service. UNDP/SACI has chosen the SAMS as an ICT solution because it provides governments with the most innovative and comprehensive technology applications that will foster success in our Capacity utilization programs. It will also enhance capacity in education, other key public sectors, and the implementation of Millennium Development Goals via real-time data collection, reporting and evaluation and monitoring for efficient management and strategic planning, for enhanced service delivery." (Director of UNDP-SACI Program)
4. UNESCO-UIS TANZANIA
“As part of UIS-UNESCO regular activities in Zanzibar, I was at the Zanzibar Ministry of Education just before Easter holidays on 2nd April. Ministry colleagues attached to the planning/statistics/EMIS department in Zanzibar were undergoing training on the Agile EMIS system which is being developed by Agile Learning Company. The Ministry of Education invited UNESCO to observe. From my observation, a lot of progress has been made in the development of EMIS - the tool is especially user friendly, innovative, and will provide solutions at the school, regional, district and national levels. I think the EMIS tool will prove useful in supporting the generation of sector wide education statistics and indicators (statistical abstract) which the Ministry of Education hopes to embark on this year.”
5. Rwanda Permanent Secretary presentation on proposed extension of EMIS by Agile - "Agile Learning recently completed the development of the Education Management Information System (EMIS); the EMIS they developed has been viewed as extremely impressive by MINEDUC and its external stakeholders:
a. World Bank - "EMIS is indeed a very impressive system that will be useful for MINEDUC";
b. UNICEF - "EMIS will definitely revolutionize how we develop, implement and monitor policy within the education system;"
c. African Development Bank - "I had a work session a few weeks ago on EMIS with Agile at the Ministry of Education and was quite impressed with what they've been doing in Rwanda."
Manager ICT, Ministry of Education & Human Resources - on Agile's real-time system from schools to Ministry:
“This confirms the Agile Learning re-training… which included the following:
a) Visiting each school for individual school follow-up
b) providing group follow up training at Belle Rose School with all participants for review of SAMS skills and for further instruction in SAMS
c) Participants’ entering critical student, staff, MDF and annual report information into SAMS
d) Electronically linking critical information from schools to the Ministry of Education to demonstrate the real-time functionality of SAMS and SAMS CENTRAL. Ministry of Education officials reviewed the imported data from the schools, observed the successful transmission of the data, and were very satisfied with the functionality demonstrated.” (June 2007)
Participating Schools’ Representative in the NEPAD eSchools Project (Manager EO)
“I am writing on behalf of the Rectors of the Mauritius schools that are participating in the NEPAD e-Schools Project. Rectors, teachers, administrators and non-teaching staff have completed training in the usage of SAMS. Agile Learning is a member of the Cisco and Microsoft Consortiums for the NEPAD project. We feel that their SAMS solution, reconfigured for Mauritius, should be implemented in all of our schools. We are being exposed to many ICT solutions during the NEPAD project, however if the Ministry at a minimum,, implemented Agile’s integrated SAMS solution nationally, then our participation in the NEPAD e-Schools Project would have to be deemed a success.”
Written Post Assessments from Teachers and Rectors after the completion of the pilot program:
a) "Tremendously improves / facilitates the evaluation of students;"
b) "Finds out student weaknesses and focuses on remedial work:"
c) "Improves decisions on what to do next - makes us become self reflective teachers:"
d) "Brought more life to our methods of teaching, especially learner information;"
e) "Remedial work comes easy as I can automatically see the strengths and weaknesses of my students;"
f) "The project is very good...I hope this project can be implemented in all schools in the country and the national ministry can benefit."
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education
“This is just a brief note to confirm that on the basis of the training which has taken place with our educators during their sessions with you, the various presentations, meeting and analysis of your solution with members of our Ministry, which have taken place over the last year, we have decided to move forward with the implementation process of your SAMS and SAMS Central Governance solutions in our school and Ministry of Education.”
President, Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT):
“I am writing to you after having participated in the UNDP /AGILE School Administration and Management (SAMS) Training Project. Headteachers, teachers and non-teaching staff have just completed the training in the usage (AGILESAMS). The AgileSAMS is critical to help us manage all of our activities in the school, including our ability to evaluate and monitor our students’ academic performance, and align our academic activities with our National curriculum. It enables us to better target our teaching interventions to improve the academic performance. Our teachers commented that remediation and individualized learning would be enhanced. They also commented that the solution would make their jobs far more interesting and challenging because of the many tools SAMS bring to be more positively learner-centered…The solution automatically populates the Ministry’s Annual Reports and other critical reports that we spend so much time preparing. The SAMS will allow us to be better able to address the health activities in the schools for all student including our special populations (thus linking us with other relevant ministries. Many commented that we hope the Ministry of Education will implement the SAMS Solution in all the nation’s schools.
Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education
“After a review by our Information Technology Division, EMIS, Planning and Development and the Education Program Implementation Departments, Ministry of Education, Republic of Namibia, has decided to begin the process of implementing Agile Learning Company’s SAMS and SAMS Central Solutions in schools and in all of our Ministry of Education’s offices nationwide. The addition of these solutions is a critical part of our Ministry of Education Information Communication Technology (ICT) Sector-Wide Rollout. The rollout of the Agile’s SAMS will enhance the collection , aggregation, disaggregation and dissemination of critical EMIS data for capacity building and strategic planning through the Ministry.
We would greatly appreciate your assistance in the implementation of the Initial Rollout of the Agile Solution with connectivity of data to the Ministry’s National office…We would also like to begin the reconfiguration meeting so that we can successfully complete the initial reconfiguration and Initial Rollout as soon as possible. We are also beginning our budget allocation process regarding the funding and implementation of the Solutions’ full rollout and the final acceptance of the proposal din implementation roll-out depend on the availability of funds during the fiscal year. Thank you very much for UNDP’s assistance, UNDP’s partnership with Agile Learning, and UNDP’s continued support in enhancing our nation’s capacity via the implementation of these important solutions in our country”
Teacher
" SAMS will help me store- update- retrieve- export my data within 5 minutes. With SAMS I’ve realized how I neglected my pastoral care part for the learner by not considering the health status of my learners. I will see in which learning areas my learners are weak and change my teaching strategies as well and by doing so I will become a better teacher and the learner will understand the subject content. "
Teacher
"This solution is the best solution. It is friendly, easy to operate and saves time and reduces staff, workers, or overload. As long as the system is being fully Namibiaized, then the school and learners performance will be highly improved. It’s like cutting butter with a sharp knife. Let the ink get dry on paper and all our questions are already answered."
Teacher
"Agile Programme is a well researched database programme which has a great potential of solving a lot of problems in our school and Ministry of Education in Namibia.
Agile SAMS encourages all users to maintain all data about the school information, the curriculum, library services at school, data about the teachers at school, the preparation of timetables, the healthcare facilities and lesson preparations. It benefits the school, circuits, and regional HQ offices of the Ministry because it is linked through reporting system. One can easily import and export the information from school and it eliminates unnecessary delays in processing teachers’ information.
If properly implemented by all schools, Agile will definitely improve management performance countrywide. We look forward to early implementation of Agile."
Head Of Department
This system can solve many of the administrative hiccups that are currently experienced in our schools and offices countrywide, not onlyin our government departments but also in NGO’s, parastals and individual enterprises.
The system is one of the correct answers to the major challenges facing not only SADC but the whole of Africa in achieving millennium Development goals and Vision 2030 in Namibian context.
District Management
" District supervisors need not go round schools for information since it can be sent....through the export and import functions on SAMS "
School Lead
"Most consuming task... is the annual census report to the ministry of education--- takes 6-8 weeks--- with Agile the registration of students on PC as registered, staff records, physical properties, historical academic performance, health records, etc. stored on the SAMS, it can automatically be used to produce the annual report, there saving time and easy to retrieve information. With all these information on Agile Sams it will take just some minutes to make the available to ministry, district and regional offices."
Teacher
" The Agile software gives administrators a real time overview of all sectors in the school ie academic,, administrative, social life and infrastructure. The head or district directors of education have a real time overview of what goes on in all schools in the district while at the regional and national levels all information is available for policy taking and assessment."
Teacher
" Sams can help me know areas in which students are weak and target my lesson there. Once the lesson is targeted, it will reduce the number of things I need to work on and time can be saved."
Teacher
" SAMS reduces the time and constraints involved in writing annual reports since SAMS automatically does it and can be drawn and sent to the ministry with ease."
Teacher
" Quick assessment of students and teachers performance; easy cross-checking of teachers activities; easy cross-checking of weak students; good record keeping and self-evaluation."
Teacher
" Teachers would be able to work on the weaknesses of the students since graphic analysis of examinations are generated showing the percentage score in each question etc."
Teacher
" Teachers can easily share information and in the absence of one teacher, another could step in for him by assessing info from the SAMS ."
Teacher
"You can assess each student performance or each class per week per term per year by a click of a few buttons. Saving time and increasing efficiency."
Vijayawada Municipal Corporation
"The Commissioner of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Mr. G.S.Panda Das I .A.S said that SEMIS is brought to the Corporation schools for the total computerization of school data like School Infrastructure, Pass percentage and all other related educational activities.
He added that in the near future VMC would deploy Agile SEMIS in all other schools.
He also said that the health program for children - Jawahar Bala Arogya Raksha would also be computerized using SEMIS." NewsToday