Republic of Haiti Education Management Information Systems SABER Country Report 2017

Republic of Haiti EDUCATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS SABER Country Report 201 7 Key Policy Areas Status 1. Enabling Environ ment The Organic Law of Education (2007) in which Article 29 lays the groundwork for the school census and defines census structure and processes, but does not yet serve as a comprehensive legal framework for all EMIS processes. The Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (M ENFP) oversees the implementation of the EMIS and is currently compiling a new Organic Law of Education, which will introduce a new comprehensive framework for all EMIS functions. Within the ministry, the Directorate of Planning and External Cooperation (D PCE), Studies and Programming Unit (UEP) and the Information Systems Unit (USI) are responsible for data maintenance, statistical analysis and compilation of data reports. However, the current focus of the EMIS lies on budgeting, resource allocation and re porting to international organizations. To provide a strong environment, the legal framework needs to expand on data utilization and provide clear guidelines for decision makers on school improvements, teacher deployment and bettering learning outcomes for students. The heavy reliance on donor - funding and lack of data - driven culture lessen the sustainability of the EMIS. Both complicate the introduction of a fully utilized EMIS. 2. System Soundness While there is a relatively functioning process for dat a collection, it is lengthy and often incomplete. The latest school census available to the public is from 2010 - 11 even though a census has been conducted almost every year. Other than the ministry, mainly international organizations are granted access to the education data upon request. The delays in data dissemination limit stakeholder access to education data and thus, reduce system effectiveness. Physical school census questionnaires are completed in School District Offices (BDS) and then mailed to the MENFP, where data entry occurs. Currently, there is no unified data storage system as the EMIS is currently composed of a collection of individual files scattered across different ministry units. This makes ad - hoc data queries and data reporting more compl icated and time - consuming. There is a need to strengthen existing methodological processes, data codes and metadata as well as introduce standardization measures across the education ministry. 3. Quality Da ta Haiti has established standard processes and guidelines to ensure data quality, but data validation and linkages with education stakeholders remain challenging. The school census methodology is outlined in the school census documents, which provide a refer ence point on data collection and act as a manual in the process. All non - public schools, which make up approximately 80 - 90% of the education sector, are included in the school census. Resource allocation as well as participation in tuition waiver and meal programs are linked to school census data, which incentivizes school census participation. However, it may also potentially lead to data inflation. It clearly heightens the importance for data validation, which has been challenging due to the limited numb ers of Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized inspectors and geographic hurdles decreasing data quality. By sharing data with other education stakeholders such as district and school officials as well as the broader community, a data - driven culture can be promoted and data utilization increased . This in turn increases data quality. The information captured by the annual census focuses on general demographic data on students, schools and teachers such as for instance enrolment, age and gender. However, it is not yet linked to other important info rmation such as financial, health or learning outcome data. 4. Utilization for Decision Making The Haitian EMIS is geared towards reporting of education data to international organizations instead of school and system efficiency improvements. The MENFP limits its utilization of EMIS data to budget and resource allocation, but fails to employ the information provided by EMIS for other decision - making processes. At the local and school level, education stakeholders do not receive feedback reports an d are denied access to school census data. The delays in data dissemination and the lack of inter - ministry sharing further inhibit data utilization for decision making. HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2 Introduction The Systems Approach for Better E ducation Results (SABER) is an established tool designed to support countries in systematically examining and strengthening the performance of their education systems. Part of the World Bank’s Education Sector Strategy , SABER uses diagnostic tools for examining ed ucation systems and their component policy domains against global standards and best practices and in comparison, with the policies and practices of countries around the world. By leveraging this global knowledge, the SABER tools fill a gap in the availabi lity of data and evidence on what matters most to improve the quality of education and achievement of better results. This report discusses the results of applying the SABER – Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) tool in Haiti . The objectives of this report are to examine the current system according to key policy areas, identify successes and challenges in the system, and provide recommendations to support the continued advancement of EMIS in Haiti in the future . Nevertheless, the primary focus of this diagnostics tool remains on assessing the current EMIS system in Haiti . Approach of SABER - EMIS Information is a key ingredient in an effective education system. SABER – EMIS aims to help countries improve data collection, data and system management, and data use in decision making. SABER - EMIS assesses the effectiveness of a country’s EMIS , with the aim of informing policy dialogue and helping countries better manage education inputs and processes to achieve overall efficiency and strong learning outc omes. A successful EMIS is c redible and operational in planning and policy dialogue , as well as teaching and learning. It produces and monitors education statis tics within an education system and has a multifaceted structure, comprising the technological and institutional arrangements for collecting, processing, and disseminating data (Abdul - Hamid 2014) . It is crucial for tracking changes, ensuring data quality and timely reporting of information, and facilitating the utilization of information in decision making . The SABER - EMIS assessment methodolo gy is built on four key policy areas that are essential to EMIS and must be assessed to understand and ultimately strengthen the system. Each policy g oal is defined by a set of policy levers (actions that help governments reach the policy goal) and indicators (measuring the extent to which the policy levers are achieved) ( figure 1 ). A strong enabling environment lays the foundation for an effective EMIS. Enabling environment refers to the laws, policies, structure, resources, and culture surrounding an EMIS that make data collection, management , and access possible. In essence, this policy area is the context in which an EMIS exists. This defined scope of an enabling environment bui lds on lessons learned from studies of education management systems. Figure 1 : SABER - EMIS Policy Area s and Levers Enabling Environment System Soundness Quality Data Utilization for Decision Making Policy Lever s : legal framework, organizational structure and institutionalized processes, human resources, infrastructural c apacity, budget, data - driven c ulture Policy Lever s : data architecture, data coverage, data analytics, dynamic system, serviceability Policy Lever s : methodologi cal soundness, accuracy and reliability, integrity, periodicity and timeliness Policy Lever s : openness to EMIS users, operational use, accessibility, effectiveness in disseminating findings Policy Area s Source : Abdul - Hamid 2014 HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 3 S ystem soundness ensures key processes, structure s and integration capabilities in an effective EMIS . Education data are sourced from different institutions, but all data feed into and make up EMIS. Databases within an EMIS are not viewed as separate databases, but as part of the whole EMIS. Key aspects of system soundness include what data are covered in EMIS and how they come together in the overarching system . Quality data establish es the mechanisms required to collect, save, pr oduce, and utilize information in an accurate, secure , and timely manner. Data quality is a multidimensional concept that enco mpasses more than just the underlying accuracy of the statistics produced. It means that not only are the data accurate, but that the data address specific needs in a timely fashion. Quality data lay s the groundwork for utilization. An effective EMIS is u tilized in decision making by all users (parents, students, teachers, principals and policy makers) across the education system. An EMIS needs to be used so that measures can be taken to improve educational quality. Accurate information on education sector performance enables the design of more informed policies and programs. It is imperative to understand where decision making occu rs, if the capacity to analyze and interpret education data exists, and if specific data are available to inform decisions. Using the EMIS data collection instrument, polic y levers are scored on a four - level scale (latent, emerging, established , and advanced) to assess the extent to which both policy intent and implementation are achieved ( Figure 2 ) . Assessing Policy Intent & Implementation The EMIS assessment examines policy intent and the degree to which intended policies are effectiv ely implemented on the ground ( figure 3 ). Intent refers to the way in which EMIS and its overarching purpose are articulated by decision makers and documented in policies and legislation, as well as standards and strategy docum ents. Assessing intent alone only reveals part of the picture. As such, this EMIS assessment also evaluates policy execution. Implementation refers to the 1 Latent 2 Emerging 3 Established 4 Advanced Figure 2 : SABER Scoring and EMIS Development Limited enabling environment, processes, structure, data management, utilization Basic enabling environment, processes, structure, data management, utilization E nabling environment, processes, structure, data management, utilization in place with some integration Comprehensive e nabling environment, processes, structure, data management, utilization , and integration in place, with intelligent analytics Source : Abdul - Hamid 2014 Implementation Outcomes Intent ✓ Utilization ✓ Processes ✓ Institutionalization ✓ Budget ✓ Human Resources ✓ Communication ✓ Policies ✓ Vision & buy - in ✓ Standards ✓ Strategy documents ✓ Teaching & Learning ✓ Management ✓ Planning & Monitoring ✓ Transparency ✓ Governance Source : Authors Figure 3 : Policy Intent, Implementation and Outcomes Cycle, with Examples HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 4 degree to which intentions take place during the day to day activities of stakeholders (e.g., policy makers, county administrators, principals, teachers, students, etc.). Implementation can be observed through utilization of EMIS by stakeholders, budget al location, distribution of human resources, availability of professional development activities, communication and dissemination of information, as well as the extent of institutionalization across the system. Once policy intent and implementation are analy zed, the EMIS assessment explores the results of these two key components, with a focus on system effectiveness and efficiency, in addition to teaching and learning, and management and planning. Strong education systems will ultimately use these outcomes t o inform the effectiveness of policies and education strategies and make adjustments as necessary, creating the cyclical process illustrated in figure 3 . In Haiti , EMIS intent and implementation were assessed through desk research, analysis of system applications and utilization, as well as interviews with a variety of stakeholders at MENFP, USI, DPCE and different focus groups at the school l evel ( table 1 ). Methodology The EMIS assessment methodology consists of a review of written policies and technical documents as well as interviews with key stakeholders across the education system to ensu re proper implementation. Research and investigation for the Haiti EMIS assessment took place from June to September 2016 . The authors conducted a comprehensive review of policies, as well as technical documents and other background materials. To further examine policy intent and implementation, a series of interviews and meetings took place with the following entities: 1. Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) a. Directorate of Planning and External Cooperation (DPCE) b. Information System s Unit ( USI ) c. Studies and Programming Unit (UEP) 2. Two focus groups with principals, teachers and parents from public and non - public schools Table 1 : Measuring Policy Intent and Implementation in Haiti Policy Intent Processes Policy Implementation • Multiple meetings with MENFP • Focus groups (school directors and teachers) • Extensive review of relevant policies, national strategies, standards, and planning documents • Analysis of data quality and comprehensiveness • Examination of professional development activities. • Interviews national, district and schools levels including policy makers and education stakeholders Source : Authors HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 5 Country Overview Haiti is a low - income country and currently the poorest country in the Western Hem isphere . I t occupies the west side of an island that shares with Dominican Republic . It has a population of approximately 10.7 million . T he country is still suffering from the after effects of the disastrous 7.0 magnitude e arthquake in 2010 , which caused more than 2 30,000 deaths . At this point approximately 1.5 million people are internally displaced and 24% of the population live in extreme poverty ( CIA 2016 ) . The GDP of the country is approximately US$8.877 billion and after an initial contraction of 5.5 percent in 2010, the economy has been growing between 1.5 and 4.25 percent in the past four years. Most Haitians depend on the agricultural sector for income and have been highly affected by bad harvest, which has also pushed inflation to over 14 percent in Febr uary (compared to the previous year) , and by the level - five Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 . It can be expected that donor financing will gradually decrease in the near future , which poses a substantial challenge to the economy. The latest household survey showed that more than 6 million out of 10.4 million (59 percent) Haitians live under the national poverty line of US$ 2.42 per day and over 2.5 million (24 percent) live unde r the national extreme poverty line of US$1.23 per day. Moreover, Haiti records a Gini coefficient of 0.61 as of 2012, which makes it one of the most unequal countries in the world (World Bank 2016a ). The education sector is structured with 5 cycles of education in oppose to the international standards of 9 cycles. The education system is structured in a fashion that the primary education runs for 6 years, and middle school is 3 years. Lately, the MENFP has been reforming secondary schooling by introducing a competency - based approach . In the reformed system, students will graduate from Grade 9 with a Certificate of Fundamental Instruction ( Brevet d’Enseignement Fondamental), which represents the completion of mandatory education. Higher secondary education offers students a choice of traditional, technical and professional paths, which are all three years and all will graduate with the new high school diploma ( Nouveau Baccalauréat ). Only after students have obtain ed their diploma, are they eligible to enter tertiary education. Approximately 80 - 9 0 percent of sch ools in Haiti are non - public ( table 2 , Error! Reference source not found. and Error! Reference source not found. ) . They are generally managed by NGOs, Christian missions or for - profit organizations. Haiti is experiencing a challenging environment for education service delivery. Despite government efforts, there is still a weak institutional capacity and infrastructure at different education levels. The 2010 Earthquake eroded much of the previous education infrastructure and Haiti is str uggling with low enrolment rates as well as poor education quality. Enrolment is approximately 90 percent in primary . On average a Haitian aged 25 years has undergone 5 years of schooling ( USAID Education Factsheet Haiti 2016 ; World Bank 2015a ) . According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) in 2012 Table 2 : Public and Non - Public Schools Public Non - Public Preschool 5.5% 94.5% Elementary School (1 st and 2 nd Cycle) 8.0% 92.0% Third Cycle and Secondary School 9.0% 91.0% Source : MENFP 2007 a and MENFP 20 03. Table 3 : Student Statistics in Cycle 1 and 2 Public Non Public Absolute Number of Students (Both Sexes) 486,619 1,723,602 Percentage of Female Students 49.1% 49.4% Source : MENFP 2011. Table 4 : Teacher Statistics Cycle 1 and 2 Public Non Public Absolute Number of Teachers (Both Sexes) 11,038 58,971 Percentage of Female Teachers 44.2% 36.1% Pupil - Teacher Ratio 44.1 29.2 Source : MENFP 2011. HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 6 approximately 14.1 percent of primary school aged children did not attend school . In rural areas the percentage of out - of - school children in primary ed ucation is as high as 18 percent, whereas in urban a reas it is only 6.8 percent ( World Bank 2016c ). A n USAID literacy assessment in Haiti found that 75 percent of pupils finishing Grade 1 and 50 percent of pupils completing Grade 2 are unable to read well or at all . Partially , the lack of quality education can be based on poor teacher qualifications. Almost 80 percent of teachers do not receive any pre - service training (USAID 2016). Not all schools in Haiti possess an officially school license and registration . Current estimat es by the Directorate of Planning and External Cooperation (DPCE) are that approximately 20 - 25 percent of non - public schools have obtained an official license. The remaining schools have provisional permits until the official registration process has been completed . The disparity between rural and urban areas are prevalent as there are less registered schools with an official license than in urban areas ( Demombynes et. al. 2010). Salmi (2000) estimated that not more than a third of secondary schools were li censed. Unlicensed schools often remain un regulated by the government and in many cases do not adhere to nationally set education standards. M ost schools receive li mited funding from the government , but tuition fees charged to parents remain high . S chool fees can be very high compared to the low income in the country. This makes education unaffordable for many Haitians and with almost 34 percent of the population bei ng under the age of 14 years it poses substantial long - term threats to Haiti’s development ( box 1 ) . To counteract these challenges, Haiti has received two grants from the World Bank under the “ Education for All ” initiative in 2010 - 15 and 2014 - 17, amounting to US$22 million and US$24.1mill ion respectively. According to the World Bank project report of 2016, t he project ensured that over 37 0,000 students were enrolled in tuition waver programs and an additional 2, 00 qualified teachers were hired. In addition, approximately 140,000 students b enefitted from school meal plans ( World Bank 2016 b ). Many parents in Haiti struggle to finance their children’s education. For instance, at La Ruche Enchantée , located in a poor Port - au - Prince neighborhood, annual tuition fees vary from US$127 for the first grade to US$180 for the sixth grade. This is not an amount that families can easily afford to pay for one, let alone all of their children. The tuition waiv er program subsidizes government - accredited schools with US$ 90, which was estimated to be above the annual tuition cost for a student so that learning materials could be financed. This enabled students to attend school for consecutive years in oppose to o nly the months or years when the family was able to afford to pay tuition fees. For instance, in 2003 the average student age in grade 3 was 16 years. Source : World Bank 2015 a . Box 1 : Tuition Fees in Haiti HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 7 Development of the Haiti an EMIS Even before the Operational Plan 2010 - 15, the MENFP has consistently introduced new measures to update and improve its EMIS. In 2006, the Sector Management Information System project was launched in cooperation with Richard Dieudonne 1 and the Higher School of Information Technology (ESIH). In 2008, the GENINOV Group designed the information system tailored to the needs of Directorate of Planning and External Cooperation (DPCE). In 2009, an information software application was developed for Department for Support and Partnership for Private Schools (DAEPP) by Doralaya . At the same time, the National Bureau of State Exams (BU NEXE) and Directorate of Human Resources (DRH) pushed some initiatives forward to develop local applications, with the support and technical assistance of international donors. Since the inception of the Operational Plan 2010 - 15, MENFP has prioritized th e expansion and improvement of information and communication technologies (ICT). It entered into a multitude of different contracts to upgrade, replace or acquire new software and hardware, which included laptops, desktops, servers, tablets and smartphones . A new Working Group on Education Technology within the Education Information and Communication Technology Unit (UTICE) was established aiming to develop a strategy on how to improve technology integration within different departments. However, their effo rts often depended solely on the financial assistance of international and on contract workers. Without the donor assistance, the project s were often abandoned. In 2016, the MENFP demonstrated high commitment to establishing an EMIS in Haiti by institutio nalizing a new EMIS unit: Unit of Information Systems (USI). USI is responsible for the majority of EMIS related activities such as implementing effective EMIS structures ( organizational architecture, hardware and software provisions, data production proce dures and processes), upholding be st practices in data production and coordinating with other units that collect education - related data. In short, USI is responsible for the majority of EMIS activities. Nevertheless, the DPCE remains in charge of the schoo l census, which is one of the key components of the Haitian EMIS. During the collection, production and dissemination of the school census DPCE is supported by both USI and the Studies and Programming Unit (UEP). Given the importance of the school census within the Haitian EMIS, the report will shed a particular focus on it. However, it is crucial to understand that the Haitian EMIS extends beyond the school census, which is only a component of the overall data management system. Currently, the USI has be en taking the lead on developing a functional EMIS. With the support of DPCE and international partners, USI has been drafting a new EMIS Master Plan (Schéma Directeur du Système d’Information du MENFP - SDSI) . The new initiative is supported by the MENFP with technical support from the World Bank , Inter - American Development Bank (IDB) , and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) . First, a workshop was conducted in November 2016, which brought together senior executives from DRH, BUNEXE, UEP, UTICE, Bureau of Preschool Education (BUGEP) and the Education For All (EFA) project. The workshop contributed to the outline of the Master Plan, which will be instrumental for the 1 Author of “L'Envers du Décor: Réflexions sur Haïti et la Crise Mondiale”. HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 8 strategic alignment of the Haitian EMIS and the development of the Strategic Plan for Educat ion and Training 2017 - 27 (PSEF). International partners have been instrumental in the process of developing an EMIS and the EMIS Master Plan. Many meetings and discussions were held to support the USI in its task of developing the Master Plan. For instance, the European Union (EU) collaborated not only with USI, but also UEP to produce preliminary reports. During 2016, t he IDB worked closely with GENINOV on a variety of EMIS projects and was often the main financier of them. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has also been a strong supporter of EMIS - related projects. Ha i ti EMIS Results This section presents the main results of EMIS diagnostics described in the previous sections. Results and scores for each policy goal are presented, along with supporting evidence. Policy Area 1: Enabling Environment Emerging     Haiti ’s enabling environment was assessed in the following areas: (1) Legal Framework; (2) Organizational Structure and Institutionalized Processes; (3) Human Resources; (4) Infrastructural Capacity; (5) Budget; and (6) Data - driven Culture. The Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) is committed to the implementation of a functioning EMIS. Article 29 of the Organic Law of Education (2007) provides the general legal framework for EMIS, but it does not yet act as a compr ehensive framework for a systemic EMIS . Article 29 focuses on the school census, but a fully operational EMIS extends beyond the census. A good legal framework will strengthen and include all EMIS activities by ensuring a functioning and reliable data prod uction process. It assigns roles and responsibilities as well as guides processes to ensure data quality, timeliness and utilization . The current Organic Law of Education establishes the interaction between the education units and other ministries regardin g the school census , but does not extend to all EMIS related activities . Therefore , the EMIS system is not yet fully institutionalized and education policy on data utilization is still emerging. The MENFP is currently drafting new policies to strengthen the legal framework of EMIS . Currently , a new Organic Law of Education is under preparation, which aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for EMIS beyond the scho ol census . The Directorate of Planning and External Cooperation (DPC E), Studies and Box 2 : Content of New EMIS Master Plan • Objectives of the Master Plan • Objectives of ICT and information system use • IT policy retained • Technology choices • Analysis of objectives and resources • Risk analysis of selected policies • Assessment of the technical directorates (equipment inventory, software Inventory and documented procedures) • Presentation of the mission of the technical directorates • Functional organization of the Information systems • Databases management and administration Center • Application development center • Networks • Operating systems and security • Urbanization approach • Different dimensions ( organizational, business, functional, application and technical) • I ntervention plan • Projects Source : MENFP 2016a. HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 9 Programming Unit (UEP) and Unit of Information Systems (USI) are coordinating their efforts with international donors and will guide the institutionalization process. The three MENFP units will provide recommendations on how to design the l egal framework including its translation from law into practice, assignment of responsibilities and mechanisms for additional EMIS activities. To complement the new Organic Law of Education, the USI is also in the process of drafting a new EMIS Master Plan , which will strengthen institutionalization of EMIS and communicate a clear vision to all stakeholder groups. The new Master Plan will conduct an analysis of current resources (hardware and software, human resources, etc.), define actions to follow and wh at efforts have been made to achieve the vision of a fully operational future EMIS (MENFP 2016a) ( box 2 ) . Th e Directorate of P lanning and E xternal C ooperation (DPCE) along with the Studies and Programming Unit (UEP) within the MENFP are the main ministry unit s in charge of collecting, processing and disseminating education data . Currently, most education data in EMIS stems from the latest sch ool census data and consists mainly of a collection of files within DPCE and UEP . There have been attempts to set up a fully operational EMIS system and a variety of data solutions have been developed in collaboration with private firms. However, due to fi nancial or political instability none of them have been made operational now . In fact, in Haiti the change in administration in early 2016 may have contributed to inconsistencies in EMIS priorities and thus, caused some delay in EMIS projects. The MENFP has defined organizational structure and institutional processes in the school census documents. The school cen sus is a key component of the Haitian EMIS . Therefore, the school census documents (terms of reference, questionnaire and guidance notes) serve as a reference point to ensure data collec tion and quality . The school census documents are essential to ensure confidentiality and data integrity. It represents a positive development towards a functioning EMIS. The la test “ Terms of Reference 2015 - 18 ” explicitly delegate data collection responsib ilit ies . Table 5 illustrates how these responsibilities are shared between the central , regional and district level. Given the high level of centralization, t he DPCE oversees data collection, entry, processin g, analysis and dissemination. The regional a nd district levels act in a supportive role for the DPCE. Since 2010, Haiti has successfully conduct ed a school census every year with the help of international organizations except for 2014 - 15 . In 2014 - 15, a comprehensive school mapping project was carried out by the MENFP , where IDB representatives visited schools to collect basic data. created a separate questionnaire for the mapping, which focused on geographic location (longitude and latitude as well as th e official address), names of school administration staff (in particular principals), number of students Table 5 : Current Distribution of Responsibilities in the School Census Data Production Process Central (Directorate of Planning and External Cooperation, DPCE) The central level has full responsibilities in the areas of data collection, da ta entry, data processing and publication of the statistical yearbook ( annuaire ). However, it does not hold responsibility for the analysis of education data for policy utilization purposes. Regional (Department of Education, DDE) The regional Departments of Education (DDE) also have full responsibility in the data collection process . The DDE collects school data from the District School Offices (BDS) and Area Inspection Bureaus (BIZ). The MENFP plans pilot the use tablets and CD - ROMs as data collection to ols in some regions to increase data entry efficiency. District/Local Level ( School District Office, BDS) District and local level authorities have full responsibilities in the data collection process. The principals complete the school census questionnaires in the District School Offices (BDS) and independent inspectors report to the Area Inspection Bureaus (BIZ). Source : Authors. HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 10 and teachers. The aim was to create a map of all schools in Haiti, which will provide information on the distribution of schools. Given that the percen tage of out - of - school children in primary school education is sub stantially higher in rural (18 percent) than in urban areas (6.8 percent), such a map could provide important information . For instance , geographic challenges such as distance to schools may play a role in deterring children from attending school ( World Bank 2016c ) . If non - public schools without an official or provisional license were included in the school mapping project, this could provide the government with an imp ortant overview of the status of the informal education sector . The project represents a good opportunity to start tracking unregistered schools and identify geographical areas, where licensed schools are wanted . The establishment of the new Unit of Infor mation Systems (U SI ) in the MENFP represents an important step towards improving institutional capacity. With the responsibility of data collection, entry, processing, analysis and dissemination centered in the DPCE, the department is struggling to complet e the full scope of its responsibilities. Therefore, the MENFP has recently established a new unit, Unit of Information Systems (US I ), to support DPCE Statistics and Analysis Department in their task. One of the first task s of USI is to map existing softwa re programs across ministry units to determine a strategy to unify and standardize these , which also includes education data . The USI oversees analyzing data bases and software in preparation of a functioning EMIS. Ideally the U SI should plan for technological EMIS updates and facilitate the exchange of data within the ministry. The new circular of January 28, 2016 has officially institutionalized USI and the unit ha s started operations in 2016. This represents a promising step tow ards a higher level of operational capacity and data - driven culture. At the central level, the EMIS function is placed at the newly institutionalized Unit of Information Systems (USI) with the support of the Directorate of Planning and External Cooperation (DPCE) and Studies and Programming Unit (UEP), while the DPCE director oversees the school census . With the establishment of USI, t he majority of the EMIS operations have shifted to the new unit, while the school census responsibility remains at the MENFP level in DPCE. Nevertheless, t he few human resources and manual collection process lessen data collection, entry and analysi s efficien cy ( box 3 ) . The establishment of USI and the additional support from UEP will increase institutional capacity and resources, which can be expected to improve data production and dissemination processes at the DPCE level . High staff turnover rates may cause inconsistencies in data collection, analysis and dissemination . Prior to the establishment of USI, a lmost 40 percent of staff were contract employees with two permanent staff members are directly involved in the data processing. The statistical unit at DPCE in charge of the school census, has 6 permanent staff members and 4 contract employees causing s ubstantial loss of talent and a high level of inconsistencies. In DPCE the design and production of the annual school census is supervised mainly by 3 permanent staff members and representatives in the Regional Education Departments (DDE). They are scarce in number s and even though additional resources are dedicated to the annual school census by hiring contract workers and receiving support from other departments such as UEP , the workload may contribute to the delays in data production and dissemination. F or instance, the 2015 - 16 The school census in Haiti is paper - based meaning that all data entry has to be completed manually. The physical copies of the school census are mailed to the regional and central lev el, where data entry occurs, substantially increasing the work load at the central level. The Ministry has piloted a data collection project, which utilizes CD - ROMs in some regions and has expressed plans to buy tablets in the future. The 2015 - 16 school ce nsus budget accounts for their acquisition, but due to delays in the acquisition process the plan was never carried out . Source : Authors Box 3 : Paper - Based School Census HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 11 school census took place with some delay in June 2016 and by late September approximately 30 percent of data was still missing. The preliminary results were eventually completed by late October. The MENFP has a designated human re source department in charge of professional development for EMIS staff. In theory, it is in charge of developing career paths and personnel evaluations. However, in reality few professional development opportunities are made available for EMIS staff. The lack of career opportunities and high political instability contribute to a high staff turnover rate. In addition, the private sector is often more attractive for highly qualifi ed staff, which increases the challenge of finding, hiring and retaining qualified staff. Highly qualified staff consistency would be crucial in the establishment of a fully operational EMIS. Although most EMIS staff have some statistics or planning exper tise , additional training may still be beneficial . Currently, the MENFP is struggling to find, hire and retain qualified staff. Some basic training on data collection and entry is provided to staff, but it is insufficient. The government has expressed plan s for increased training and professional development for EMIS staff. At the regional level, Regional Education Department (DDE) there is one or two planners in charge of coordinating activities of the school census , one of the key EMIS components . However , t hey often lack the necessary skills to effectively carry out data collection activities. The challenge is often augmented by inappropriate technological equipment. For instance, some regional offices not only lack a skilled IT person, but also do not ha ve computers or a functioning internet connection. Long - term f inancial sustainability for an EMIS is essential . The budget for the EMIS is prepared by the DPCE - MENFP, but funded by international organizations. The 2010 Earthquake has substantially increased donor participation in Haiti, but now seven years after the natural disaster the stream of donor funding is likely to decrease over time. At this point, the funding for the education system stems from international donors such as the World Bank , Inter - American Development , Bank Caribbean Development Bank and the European Union . The budget for the 2015 - 16 school census alone amount ed to approximately US$ 800,000 , which exc ludes additional EMIS expenses . C urrently, mo st of the contractual and seasonal staff (almost 40 percent of total staff) and expenses related to the school census are fully covered by these organizations ( MENFP 2015a ). Thus, t he Ministry will have to face the question of how to ensure a sustainable budget not only for the school census, but for EMIS as a whole in the future . Many other countries also heavily rely on donor funds for their EMIS and fac e similar challenges ( box 4 ). Overreliance on donor funding to sustain an EMIS is a threat experienced by many countries worldwide. It is essential to start a dialogue with donors and include them on the path to financial sustaina bility. For instance, Afghanistan is currently in the process of developing a five - year plan to streamline EMIS vision, goals and objectives. The strategic plan is also designed to counteract the uncertainties associated with donor funding to ensure its lo ngevity. Source : Authors. Box 4 : Designing a Strategic Plan to Reduce Risks Associated with Donor Funding HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 12 Haiti is building a data - driven culture. Without a data - driven culture, the education system suffers due to insufficient data for informed decision making at the central , regional and local level. Even before the earthquake of 2010, Haiti had started to introduce a dialogue surrounding the culture of data. This had been partially aided by i nternational organizations, which partnered with the government of Haiti for EMIS projects such as the cooperation between the Inter - American Development Bank (IDB) and GENINOV Group. Since the earthquake, increased efforts by international organizations c ontributed to a new level of data awareness , which was supported by a considerable amount of coordination between the different donor organizations and the MENFP . For instance, in May and June 2016, the EU partnered with the MENFP to conducted two short - term EMIS missions in Haiti, which complement ed the work of the World Bank and the United Nations in the education sector . T he Haitian leadership has increasingly prioritized data and facilitated dialogue between MENFP, donors and private firms to de sign, establish and implement an operational EMIS. Chile may serve as an example, where data is instrumental at every aspect of the education system ( box 5 ). The government grants stakeholder groups access to education data on their website , but data publication is often delayed while international organization are likely to receive early access permission . Data - driven culture can be improved by allowing different stakeholders in Haiti to gain access to education data. By sharing timely data with other ministries and the public, MENFP can promote a data - driven culture. Education data is relevant and valuable to other ministries such as for instance the Ministry or Health or Ministry of Labor. Even more so, by delaying access to education data to schools and communities, it may decrease stakeholder buy - in and worsens the data - driven culture. At the moment, int ernational organizations often receive early access to data, while the general public may have to wait a few more months before a public version is available. As the reporting mechanisms are already in place, MENFP can draw on them to expand the scope of d ata access in a timely manner . Policy Area 2: System Soundness Latent     Haiti ’s EMIS soundness was assessed in five critical areas: (1) Data Architecture; (2) Data Coverage; (3) Data Analytics; (4) Dynamic System; and (5) Serviceability. Haiti lacks an operational EMIS structure. It exhibits a highly centralized structure, where data collection, entry and analysis occurs at the central level in DPCE , UEP and USI . There is no e single database, but ministry departments generally manage thei r own copy of the data using the software WinDev . In fact, the Haitian EMIS is composed of multiple files across different databases including data from the latest school census and other questionnaires. Technically, at the Ministry of Education, there are two Dell 3650 Chile has successfully established an enabling environment for EMIS. Data builds the foundation for every aspect of the education system. The strong data - drive n culture is embedded in an education system focusing on monitoring and improving learning outcomes for students. Within the Ministry of Education, designated government agencies, namely the National System for Measuring the Quality of Education (SIMCE) an d Agency for Education Quality, are in charge of collecting, analyzing and disseminating education data. Schools are grouped according to student body, urban/rural, economic capacity and historical academic performance. By using each school’s unique ID, ed ucation stakeholders can easily compare school s with each other. Source : Bruns, Filmer and Patrinos 2011. Box 5 : Data Driven Culture in Chile HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 13 servers and an HP backup system to archive data. However, EMIS data is mainly archived using HypeFile from WinDev. No blueprint or official documentation exists that provides specifications on the architecture of an EMIS. Generally, the scho ol census documents are the main documents to provide guidance on data collection. However, the newly established USI unit has been tasked to develop a standardized data maintenance system across different MENFP entities to address structural issues. Figure 4 : School Census Processes in Haiti Local Level Ministry of Education (MENFP) School Level (Public and Non - Public) District/Area Level (BIZ & BDS) Regional Level Central Level (DPCE) Source : Authors. The need for principals to complete the school census forms in the School District Office (BDS) complicates the data collection process. On the National Day of School Statistics ( Journée Nationale de Statistiques Scolaires ) all principals travel to the BDS to complete the school census questionnaires. This demands substantial travel on their part and many principals are unable to do so due to geographic reasons such as road conditions or lack of transportation means. If principals cannot report in person to the local inspection bureau , they will be sent physical copies of the census questionnaires . T he principals then mail them back to the BDS . Similarly , if principals are unable to complete the questionnaire in the BDS , they are required to do so at their local school and mail it back to the regional office. T his process often results in data collection delays or missing data as some school s fail to complete the school census questionnaires . Both scenarios reduc e data quality. Table 6 illustrates the proposed methodological changes in th e data collection process as outlined in the 2015 - 16 school census plan. Even though these new data collection methods had been planned for the 2015 - 16 school census they have not yet been implemented and data collection was entirely paper - based. The aim i s to possibly make use of these methods in the 2016 - 17 school census. Table 6 : Different D ata Coll ection Methodologies Proposed for the 2015 - 16 School Census Instrument Usage of Collection Instrument Responsibility Tablets 160 tablets will be used by school inspectors in the communities with most difficult access (e.g. Artibonite, North and West). Data entered on tablets will be National Center for Geospatial Data Entry (WinDev) and Excel Files School Directors Complete Questionnaire Forms Data Verification Process Completed Forms Are Verified by District Inspectors Technical Control on Coherence by Regional Planners Data Review, Validation and Control Data Export (Excel or SPSS) Final Presentation in the Form of the Statistical Yearbook HAITI ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT | 2017 SYSTEM S APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 14 gradually sent by Internet to the CNIGS server. The 2015 - 16 school census had already accounted f or the acquisition of the tablets, which had been postponed. Information (CNIGS) CD - ROM Some technical partners of the ministry and school networks will help complete the questionnaire on a CD - ROM. For instance, pilot studies of the method will take place in municipalities like Fort - Liberté, de Chansolme and La Vallée. There each school principal will fill out the questionnaire on a CD - ROM and provide a copy to the school Inspector, who will forward it to the DDE by May 30. Regional Education Departments (DDE) Internet In areas (urban and rural) where access to the internet is possible, the questionnaire will be completed directly from computers that can access the server through a web site. Regional Education Departmen ts (DDE) Partners In the Northwest Department, the NGO Together for a better future in Haiti (ADEMA) will provide support in the distribution and collection process of questionnaires. Similarly, the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education (CEEC) will supervise the distribution of questionnaires to schools under its control. After their completion by the principals, CEEC and ADEMA will collect the forms and deliver them to the Regional Director. Regional Education Departments (DDE) Paper Ultimately, th e less accessible schools will complete the paper questionnaire (e.g., Grand - Anse, South and municipalities of Petit - Goâve, the Gonâve and Cité Soleil). The schools will deliver the completed questionnaires to the inspector, who will then send them to the DDE. Coding and data entry will be done at the DDE in the following departments: Centre, Nippes, Northeast, Northwest, and Southeast. Regional Educati