Suriname SABER Country Report EDUCATION MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 2016 Key Policy Areas Status 1. Enabling Environment Suriname has begun the process of building and institutionalizing an EMIS. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (MINOWC) lacks a comprehensive legal framework, strategy and policy to drive the process and management of an EMIS. The absence of these has resulted in a lack of commitment towards devoting resources, including human resources and budget, towards developing EMIS as the core Ministry system. This has threatened the long-term viability of the system. In addition, the lack of policies hamper efforts to streamline coordination and sharing of data within the ministry. 2. System Soundness The current EMIS is a SQLServer based software solution hosted by an outside vendor. The system captures administrative data, including demographic data on schools and teachers. Paper-based annual census forms are used to collect data from schools, which are manually entered into the EMIS system at central level. Trust within the government in the quality of data is low. However, a new School Information Management System is being introduced that has the potential to address a number of the challenges that existed in the legacy OIS system, particularly in the areas of data architecture and data analytics. This process of implementing this system is in its nascent stage. 3. Quality Data In Suriname, there are gaps in the methodological soundness underpinning the education data, the EMIS is not aligned with national datasets and there is an urgent need for standardization of processes, data codes, and metadata across agencies. Despite this, there are currently some practices underway to validate the accuracy and reliability of data, although further support is needed both in terms of automated technical validation, as well as manual validation efforts. The EMIS has had issues disseminating findings. The annual education statistics yearbook has not been produced since 2008, making it four years behind schedule and revealing major challenges with periodicity and timeliness. 4. Utilization for Decision Making Currently, the EMIS data is primarily used for reporting indicators to UNESCO. The data is not being utilized by schools, nor is education data being used to drive the policy agenda within the government. EMIS utilization is limited and does not play a significant role in operational use. Finally, Suriname’s EMIS is currently not publicly disseminating education statistics via a website or a statistics yearbook. SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Introduction In 2011, the World Bank Group commenced a multiyear program designed to support countries in systematically examining and strengthening the performance of their education systems. Part of the World Bank’s new Education Sector Strategy, this evidence-based initiative, called SABER (Systems Approach for Better Education Results), uses diagnostic tools for examining education 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 availability 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 Suriname. The objectives of this report are to examine the system according to key policy areas, identify successes and challenges in the system, and provide recommendations to support the continued advancement of EMIS in Suriname. Overview 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 outcomes. A successful EMIS is credible and operational in planning and policy dialogue, as well as teaching and learning. It produces and monitors education statistics 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 methodology is built on four key Figure 1: SABER-EMIS Policy Areas and Levers policy areas that are essential to EMIS and must be assessed to Policy Areas Policy Levers: legal framework, organizational structure understand and ultimately strengthen the system. Each policy Enabling and institutionalized processes, human resources, goal is defined by a set of policy levers (actions that help Environment infrastructural capacity, budget, data-driven culture governments reach the policy goal) and indicators (measuring the System Policy Levers: data architecture, data coverage, data extent to which the policy levers are achieved) (figure 1). Soundness analytics, dynamic system, serviceability Policy Levers: methodological soundness, accuracy and A strong enabling environment lays the foundation for an Quality Data reliability, integrity, periodicity and timeliness effective EMIS. Enabling environment refers to the laws, policies, Utilization for Policy Levers: openness to EMIS users, operational use, structure, resources, and culture surrounding an EMIS that make Decision Making accessibility, effectiveness in disseminating findings data collection, management, and access possible. In essence, this Source: Abdul-Hamid 2014 policy area is the context in which an EMIS exists. This defined scope of an enabling environment builds on lessons learned from studies of education management systems. System soundness ensures key processes, structures 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 establishes the mechanisms required to collect, save, produce, and utilize information in an accurate, secure, and timely manner. Data quality is a multidimensional concept that encompasses more than just the underlying SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 2 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 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 lays the groundwork for utilization. An effective EMIS is utilized in decision making by all users Figure 2: SABER Scoring and EMIS Development (parents, students, teachers, principals and policy makers) across the education system. An EMIS needs to be used so that 4 measures can be taken to improve educational quality. Accurate Advanced 3 Comprehensive information on education sector performance enables the design Established enabling of more informed policies and programs. It is imperative to 2 Enabling environment, understand where decision making occurs, if the capacity to Emerging environment, processes, 1 processes, structure, data analyze and interpret education data exists, and if specific data Basic enabling management, Latent environment, structure, data are available to inform decisions. management, utilization, and Limited enabling processes, utilization in integration in environment, structure, data place with some place, with processes, management, intelligent Using the EMIS data collection instrument, policy levers are structure, data utilization integration analytics scored on a four-level scale (latent, emerging, established, and management, utilization advanced) to assess the extent to which both policy intent and implementation are achieved (Figure 2). Source: Abdul-Hamid 2014 Approach Intent & Implementation The EMIS assessment examines policy intent and the degree to which intended policies are effectively 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 documents. Assessing intent alone only reveals part of the picture. Figure 3: Policy Intent, Implementation and Outcomes Cycle, with Examples As such, this EMIS assessment also evaluates policy execution. Implementation refers to the degree to which intentions take 9 Policies 9 Utilization place during the day to day activities of stakeholders (e.g., policy 9 Vision & buy-in 9 Processes makers, county administrators, principals, teachers, students, 9 Standards 9 Institutionalization 9 Strategy 9 Budget etc.). Implementation can be observed through utilization of documents 9 Human Resources EMIS by stakeholders, budget allocation, distribution of human 9 Communication resources, availability of professional development activities, communication and dissemination of information, as well as the Intent Implementation extent of institutionalization across the system. Once policy intent and implementation are analyzed, 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 to inform the Outcomes effectiveness of policies and education strategies and make adjustments as necessary, creating the cyclical process illustrated 9 Teaching & Learning in figure 3. 9 Management 9 Planning & Monitoring 9 Transparency In Suriname, EMIS intent and implementation were assessed 9 Governance through desk research, analysis of system applications and utilization, as well as interviews with a variety of stakeholders Source: Authors (table 1). SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 3 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Table 1: Measuring Policy Intent and Implementation in Suriname Policy Intent Processes Policy Implementation x Multiple x Analysis of data x Interviews meetings with quality and national, MINOWC comprehensiveness district and x Extensive review x Examination of schools levels of relevant professional including policies , national development policy makers strategies, activities. and education standards, and stakeholders planning documents Source: Authors 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 ensure proper implementation. Research and investigation for the Suriname EMIS assessment took place from March to June, 2015. 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 Education, Science and Culture (MINOWC), including the Development Services Division, Education Inspection Division, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Unit, and other education divisions 2. Bureau of Statistics 3. Sample of schools Country Overview Suriname is an upper middle income country in northern South America. Suriname borders the North Atlantic Ocean, French Guiana, Guyana and Brazil. One of South America’s smallest countries, 95 percent of Surname is covered in forest. Suriname has a population of 538,200, 27 percent of which is between the ages of 0-14 (World Development Indicators, 2014). East Indians, Creoles, Javanese, Maroons and Amerindians make up the largest ethnic groups in the country, making it one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world. Over 85 percent of the population lives in coastal districts, primarily concentrated in the capital - Paramaribo (Bureau of Statistics, 2012). Although the interior makes up the majority of the country, it is remote, sparsely populated, highly isolated and poorer than the rest of the country. Suriname is divided into ten districts, each with a district commissioner. Each district is further divided into ressorts, of which there are sixty-two in total. In Paramaribo, the ressorts are akin to neighborhoods, however in other districts the resorts are more similar to municipalities. Although Suriname has a GDP per capita of $16,637, the economy is facing significant challenges (World Development Indicators, 2014). Heavily reliant on its mining industry, the economy is vulnerable to mineral price volatility. As a result, Suriname’s annual economic growth dropped from 5.3 percent in 2011 to 1.8 percent in 2014. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 4 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Education Overview Table 2: Suriname Education at a Glance, 2013 MINOWC serves the ten districts across the country. The law Students stipulates that education is compulsory between ages 7 and Pre-primary 18,471 12, but a new law is currently under consideration that would Primary 69,410 make education compulsory from 4 to 16 years of age. The Lower secondary 37,933 education system consists of pre-primary education, primary Upper secondary 13,868 education, junior secondary education, and senior secondary Enrollment Rates, Net education (Appendix C: Suriname Education Structure). Upon Pre-primary 78% entering junior secondary school, students decide to pursue Primary 92 either general education in preparation for college, or Lower secondary 48 vocational and technical education. Enrollment drops at the Upper secondary 14 secondary level, especially among boys who leave school for Public Expenditure on Education work (table 2). As a percentage of GDP 5.0% As a percentage of government expenditure 15.2 EMIS Background Source: Suriname Department of Research and Planning, MINOWC and Ministry of Finance, 2013 Previous efforts to implement EMIS in Suriname have encountered significant challenges. The Department of Research and Planning (formally the Department of Research Planning and Monitoring) is responsible for the production of education statistics. From its inception in the 1970s until 2003, all data was collected and recorded by hand. In 2003, an EMIS referred to as OIS (Education Information System) was introduced. According to an external evaluation of OIS (Luursma et al. 2009), the database was initially designed as an Informix database on UNIX. MS SQL Server was later chosen with a client front-end written in Delphi 6. The transition was managed by local firm, Business and Data Solutions (BDS). By the 2004/05 school year, education data was available in OIS and the first education indicators and trends yearbook were published in the 2006/07 school year, with another in 2007/08; however, after that point yearbooks were not published. The Department of Research and Planning is in the final stages of cleaning data from 2008 to 2014. An internal meeting in July will review progress and determine next steps with regard to publishing the data. Several fundamental issues blocked the effectiveness of OIS implementation. First and foremost, the implementation was heavily focused on establishing the software, but failed to train and build capacity across MINOWC. This process of building capacity and ensuring that the technology is understood and incorporated into MINOWC is referred to as “institutionalizing” or “operationalizing” an EMIS. It is critical to the success of an EMIS because it ensures that: x Users across MINOWC from teachers to high-level officials understand how to use the EMIS; x The enabling environment (e.g., policies, standards, budget, etc.) is established to ensure integration across MINOWC and sustainability so that when the government changes, the EMIS will be easily continued by the next administration; and x Communication about EMIS reaches across the education system so that everyone knows about the value, vision, strategy and objectives of the EMIS and how it contributes to quality education. Second, due to the absence of effective institutionalization, government transitions took place and when new staff joined MINOWC, there was no context or process for working with OIS. New staff in the Department of Research and Planning lacked the information on OIS that was necessary to maintain momentum around collection, management and utilization of education data. Further, a series of changes in high-level staff, including the Minister of Education and the Permanent Secretary, led to shifts in the EMIS strategy and decisions to stop certain software and vendor agreements and start new contracts elsewhere. Third, the contract with Business Development Solutions (BDS) did not give full control of education data to the Department of Research and Planning. Instead it effectively made BDS a gatekeeper that the department had to go through anytime it wanted to make changes to existing data. The department can access the data, but cannot add variables or make additional changes to the data. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 5 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Finally, the quality of data in OIS is poor. Due to the issues raised above as well as software limitations, OIS is not effectively producing quality data. For example, duplicate records exist, and codes are not up to date with those of other government agencies, causing major integration bottlenecks. As the data is not directly hosted by the Department of Research and Planning, updating fields and codes or adding verification levels is difficult or not possible. Prior attempts by donors to develop a well-functioning EMIS faced challenges. IDB’s Basic Education Improvement Project is a multi-phase operation with two phases spanning an eight year period. The phase I (2004-12) investment totaled US$ 13.7 million and the phase II (2012-16) investment is estimated at US$ 12 million. With regards to EMIS, the program (part of phase II) aimed to finance: (i) a needs assessment to expand the EMIS at MINOWC and school levels; (ii) the consolidation and linking of MINOWC personnel information; (iii) the establishment of a student performance tracking system in at least 150 schools; (iv) an expansion of the physical infrastructure to house an EMIS data center; and (v) training for at least 10 MINOWC staff and staff from the selected schools on using the EMIS (IDB Second Basic Education Improvement Program Loan Proposal). The proposal stated that the Dutch Government, UNICEF and the Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance (VVOB) would supportMINOWC in strengthening EMIS, but ultimately the EMIS component of this project did not achieve its intended objectives and the proposal was not fully realized. The Department of Research and Planning worked with UNICEF on a school mapping project, but has not worked with UNICEF on activities specific to EMIS. The Government of Suriname has prioritized EMIS, investing in the new system and engaging donors to support the process. UNICEF and IDB also recognize the need for an effective EMIS. Due to resource and operational constraints, neither IDB nor UNICEF are able to lead the advancement of EMIS in Suriname. Currently, the Government of Suriname is in the process of deploying two new information systems. The Ministry of Finance is implementing an off-the-shelf product by a Canadian software company, FreeBalance. The customized product will launch this year and be used by the finance departments of all 17 ministries. The system will be fully integrated across the government, and will also run according to the Government Finance Statistics (GFS) methodology. MINOWC has also invested in a new product, the School Information Management System (SIMS), a product designed by Milestone Consulting & Solutions NV. Milestone is providing technical support for the roll-out of the product, which will take place this year. SIMS is a web-based, customizable, modular framework that provides a central platform for the management of educational activities and access to data. If deployed and used effectively, the system represents a major opportunity to ease integration issues both within MINOWC and with external agencies. Major barriers around coordination block MINOWC from effectively collecting, managing and using education data. This challenge was communicated consistently across conversations with MINOWC departments. Based on the current organizational structure, MINOWC has 36 units and 20 of those units collect data (Appendix D: MINOWC Education Organizational Chart). It seems that many of these units have individual processes and systems for collecting, managing and analyzing data. Tremendous gains on efficiency and spending would be made by streamlining siloed data management processes. Additionally, improvements in communication and coordination between units would reduce redundancies. A monthly internal MINOWC staff memo, or even an internal blog could help improve communication and coordination between units. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 6 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 With regard to data collection, several challenges exist ranging from regional and technical challenges, to coordination issues. First, there are inconsistencies and gaps in reporting from the school level. Schools in the interior especially have challenges reporting data. The current process that the Department of Research and Planning aims to follow has the department receiving school data once per year in August, primarily in hard copy form, which is then manually inputted into an excel table (figure 4). Quality checks and follow-up with schools that did not submit data takes place through November. Between January and March the Department of Research and Planning conducts quality checks and sends a CD with the final administrative data to the Central Bureau for Computerized Administration (CEBUMA). Figure 4: Primary school (GLO) data collection, processing and distribution flow chart August September November December January to March Submit amendments until Submit school Finish data entry 12 February administration to O&P Enter school Distribution of Quality check data file administration school and identify Continued administration schools that did follow-up on Send data (grades 5&8) not submit data. missing data, if on CD to CEBUMA Verification & schools don’t registration submit, contact inspectors Amendments after March 31st submitted at Bureau of Examinations Suriname 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 Latent z||| Suriname’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. Suriname’s EMIS lacks a comprehensive and explicit legal framework to drive the process and management of the system. Policy gaps exist in a number of key areas: x The lack of a comprehensive and explicit EMIS strategy. x Policies do not clearly define roles and responsibilities. x Policies do not state budget needs. x Policies are not in place that set utilization or confidentiality requirements for education data. x Policies do not mandate technical requirements for the system. x Some data reporting requirements exist in reporting obligations and instructional standards, as well as subsidy agreements, but they do not appear comprehensive. For example, non-compliance penalties and the ability to implement such penalties are weak. A good legal framework will strengthen EMIS sustainability by helping the flow of data continue amidst government transitions. In Suriname, changes in administration have been an obstacle to EMIS in the past, and continue as a threat, making the legal framework a priority for improvement. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 7 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 In Suriname, EMIS struggles in part due to a lack of institutionalization. The central system put in place with the external vendor, Business and Data Solutions, does not effectively empower the Department of Research and Planning to manage, process, adjust and disseminate data on a regular basis. Once up and running, SIMS certainly has the potential to fill this gap. Currently, the Department of Research and Planning must go through the vendor to make changes to data, which takes significant time. Further, the Department of Research and Planning has decided not to continue working with the vendor, but a transition plan to migrate the data from the vendor’s server to a server controlled by the Department is a lengthy process. While the responsibility for collecting, processing, and disseminating education statistics is designated to the Department of Research and Planning, the department is not able to fulfill the full scope of responsibilities at this time. Lack of coordination and communication with other units within MINOWC creates redundancies and impedes efficient progress. For example, schools currently send data to Inspection Bureaus and Research and Planning. In addition, due to conflicting time frames in reporting needs, both the General Bureau of Statistics and O&P collect separate school census data. Identifying one department as the primary collector of data may improve efficiency. The education system specifically, and the government in general, would benefit significantly from a strategy on government data including a law/policy that guides the processes and procedures for working with other government units. There are no policies in place to streamline coordination and sharing of data, leading to major breakdowns and inefficiencies within MINOWC, across the education system, and between MINOWC and other ministries and bureaus. Duplication of efforts and lack of coordination create challenges that could be alleviated by clear data sharing procedures. Schools currently report the same data to multiple departments at different times of the year. Some schools are more willing to share data than others. A policy that mandates data reporting and provides guidance on coordination may improve this process. Additionally, SIMS provides an opportunity to streamline these efforts with a single point of entry through which schools input data once into an integrated and centralized system, where data is validated and then shared with the appropriate stakeholders. General improvements to MINOWC’s organizational structure and institutional processes will greatly enhance EMIS functionality. For example, the ICT Department is leading the process of securing and implementing the new system; however, the Department of Policy and Planning, one of the primary users of the new system, does not receive consistent communication and updates on the new system. Robust processes and better communication between departments will contribute to the effective rollout of the new system. There appears to be an assumption that once schools input data into the system, data will be validated by the various Inspection Bureaus; however, these Bureaus have not been consulted. Further, much of the data validation process is currently taking place with the Department of Research and Planning. Identifying the department responsible for validating data submitted into the new system, and defining this process is absolutely essential. If this does not happen, the quality of data in the system will be poor, and effective utilization will be significantly blocked, if not impossible. Currently EMIS in Suriname is struggling due to a significant lack of human resources and opportunities for capacity development. While there are talented staff across MINOWC, lack of complete staffing (Appendix E: Research & Planning Organizational Chart with Current Staffing Numbers), as well as limited professional development opportunities pose formidable challenges to the long-term success of EMIS and should be remedied. Further, staffing guidelines produced by the Ministry of Internal Affairs block the Department of Research and Planning from hiring ICT staff and data analysts that are essential to the department’s core work. The core team currently at the Department of Research and Planning is strong and continues to do great work, powered by a sound guiding vision, yet the team is eager to add technical specialists to support them in reaching this vision. An effective EMIS is powered by qualified staff who operate the system and have access to multiple opportunities to improve their performance, and remain current with the latest technology and best practices. Data supply in Suriname could be improved by establishing a clear data reporting policy and by linking incentives to compliance with data reporting procedures. According to the Legal Affairs Department of MINOWC, because public SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 8 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 schools hierarchically are under MINOWC, neither agreements nor legislation exist to mandate schools to submit data. Instead, requirements for public schools to submit data fall under regular reporting obligations as defined in instructional standards. Data supply is an essential consideration for any EMIS because it ensures the gathering of data at the school- level. In many countries this is done through an annual school census. Explicit policies that mandate data supply and link to a national EMIS policy and strategy help make data supply occur in a smooth and consistent manner. Policy Area 2: System Soundness Emerging zz|| Suriname’s EMIS soundness was assessed in five critical areas: (1) Data Architecture; (2) Data Coverage; (3) Data Analytics; (4) Dynamic System; and (5) Serviceability. Significant challenges existed in the legacy OIS system, especially in the areas of data architecture and data analytics; however, the new system, SIMS, has been identified, is being customized, and has the potential to advance EMIS in Suriname to a new level. As SIMS is customized and deployed, it will be important to consider data architecture from the perspective of the overarching system and what it intends to produce. Constructing a well-defined wireframe to inform the architecture, using a table of specifications to guide the structure of databases, and ensuring mechanisms to bring data from different sources together are important considerations for the system. As highlighted in the EMIS Background section, the legacy OIS system was limited. It focused more on establishing the technological architecture, but failed to build capacity for utilization. The new system should offer the appropriate departments with direct access to data and the ability to run data analysis, tabulations, associations, correlations, projections, and to make changes to variables, create new indicators, etc. With these pathways in place, the project should also include ongoing utilization training. Currently, MINOWC’s data coverage is limited to administrative data. Minimal administrative data is collected via the annual survey circulated by the Department of Research and Planning, which is delivered in hard copy and then manually inputted into the system. According to the Department of Research and Planning, EMIS currently includes data from primary and secondary schools (including religious schools), though there is little data from upper secondary. Minimal data from tertiary education and private schools is collected by the Department of Research and Planning, though efforts are underway to begin collecting more tertiary data. In addition to MINOWC’s data collection, the GBS independently collects administrative data from schools, collected primarily through phone calls, although in some cases the Bureau receives data in the form of excel tables. The GBS also collects data from tertiary schools, including the number of part and fulltime students, enrollment rates by degree program and the number of teachers. Data and statistics have mostly not been analyzed and disseminated since 2008. However, the Department of Research and Planning does track a small scope of indicators (mostly to report to UNESCO). This is a good first step, but more work needs to be done to expand this list and train the Department accordingly. Most of the current indicators track internal, not external, efficiency (such as learning outcomes). Indicators should also examine regional educational variation. In addition, the data behind the indicators needs to be verified to ensure quality. The Department currently tracks the indicators listed in box 1. Efforts are underway to establish a unique student identifier. Unique student IDs provide the ability to identify students, track their movement and progress in the school system, and collect and report student-level data. This is a strong step forward for EMIS in Suriname. In designing the unique student ID system, ensuring student confidentiality and data security is key. The unique ID should not just be a number that MINOWC uses, but instead a tool that other ministries use as well. To do this effectively and securely, collaboration with other ministries will allow MINOWC to gather a variety of information such as birth registration or certificate, birth date, or other unique IDs. A good student ID system will take combinations of identifiable data and encrypt it, giving each student a unique and unidentifiable ID that will follow them through their academic career. Identifying and training a responsible entity to manage, make changes and update IDs will also streamline the process. Considering unique IDs for teachers and even courses is another step that enables EMIS to better analyze the quality and efficiency of the education system. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 9 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Box 1: Department of Research and Planning Tracked Indicators Enrollment Completion x Student enrollment by grade and sex x Graduation Rate x Number of students enrolled, by age group x EGPGR (Expected Gross Primary Graduation Ratio) x Students enrolled by year and by age group x Promotion Rate, by age, grade and sex x Students enrolled by education level x Survival Rate, by age, grade and sex x NER (Net Enrollment Rate) x TR (Transition Rate) x GER (Gross Enrollment Rate) x Dropout Rate, by age, grade and sex x ASER (Age Specific Enrollment Rate) x GPGR (Gross Primary Graduation Ratio) x ANER (Adjusted Net Enrollment Rate) x PCCR ( Primary Cohort Completion Rate) x Year-by-year monitoring of age cohorts. Ages 5 to 15 x SLE (School-Life Expectancy) x SCR (Student Classroom Ratio) Teachers x OOS (Out-of-school children-primary) x Number of teachers by district, grade and gender Intake x Percentage of female teachers x AIR(Apparent Intake Rate) x PTR (Pupil Teacher Ratio) x NIR (Net Intake Rate) MDG Indicator x Late entry x Youth literacy rate Repetition x Gender parity index for primary gross enrollment ratio x Percentage of repeaters by grade and sex x Net Enrollment Rate, primary x RR (Repetition Rate by grade) x Primary Completion Rate Source: MINOWC The new EMIS is expected to include a learning management system (LMS), transport data, a financial module, teacher administration data, and an assessment module. A good practice for data coverage includes collection of administrative (student & school), financial, human resources, and learning outcomes data (table 3). While the new system does not need to include all types of data from the onset, designing the system such that greater data coverage can be added in the future would be worthwhile. Table 3: Data Coverage Administrative data Financial data Human resources data Learning outcomes data ¾ Enrollment, access, drop-out ¾ Budget expenditure ¾ Salaries (teaching and non- ¾ Grades rates ¾ School fees teaching staff) ¾ National assessments ¾ Student to teacher, school to ¾ Supply-side items such ¾ Conditional cash transfer ¾ Classroom assessments student ratios as textbooks, teaching data ¾ Completion, progression, materials, desks, ¾ Professional development survival rates paper, writing data ¾ Behavioral data, absenteeism, instruments ¾ Teacher years of experience late arrivals (students & ¾ Development courses, teachers) training, certifications, ¾ Special-needs data allowances for teaching and ¾ Efficiency non-teaching staff ¾ Teacher qualifications ¾ Ministry of Finance data ¾ Financial assistance data regarding human resources ¾ School improvement data (if applicable) ¾ Service delivery indicators Source: Abdul-Hamid 2014. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 10 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Challenges with regard to validity, integration of data, and archived data inhibit serviceability of the system. Databases are not integrated and there are silos at different levels of the education system, which limit evidence-based decision making. Data is archived in the legacy system and is difficult to access because the vendor acts as a gatekeeper, often blocking the Department of Research and Planning from the data, or taking weeks to respond. Overcoming these challenges will move Suriname much closer to an effective EMIS, and also carry positive outcomes for the overall management and efficiency of the education system. Regular maintenance procedures that monitor the quality of EMIS (such as fixing system bugs and upgrading software) are also essential. Once collected, data does not flow back to local levels Figure 5: EMIS Information Cycle and schools via proper, systematic feedback loops. The cycling of analyzed data back to local school systems and Decision schools via printed materials (e.g., school or district Data Data making and report cards) or a transparent dashboard or website is a collection utilization policy making best practice that encourages school improvement and Data Inputs School strong buy-in across the education system (figure 5). warehouse Further, provision of information has been linked to Student increased quality and decreased school fees, outcomes Parents/Students Research learning, other Teachers Analysis that come about as a result of creating greater School management Reporting outcomes, and competition between schools (Andrabi, Das, and Khwaja policy actions Feedback 2009). Policy Area 3: Quality Data Source: Abdul-Hamid 2014 Latent z||| The quality of data captured by Suriname’s EMIS was assessed in four areas: (1) Methodological Soundness; (2) Accuracy and Reliability; (3) Integrity; and (4) Periodicity and Timeliness. In Suriname, there are currently gaps in methodological soundness, EMIS is not aligned with national datasets and there is an urgent need for standardization of processes, data codes, and metadata across agencies. For example, the General Bureau of Statistics should be able to access current, accurate data from the Department of Research and Planning. Every month the GBS receives data from MINOWC. However due to difficulties in ensuring high response rates from schools to the Department of Research and Planning’s annual school survey, the GBS has begun conducting its own data collection as well. This is evidence of a breakdown in EMIS. When multiple entities are collecting the same data, problems emerge that stem from having more than one official source of data and variation in data collection, validation and management. Further, it puts added pressure on schools, which are reporting the same data to multiple entities. GBS also follows international standards in data coding, which allows for integration and data sharing. Codes should follow common standards and consistent training and support materials should be provided to ensure that agreed upon standards are understood and followed. Methodological soundness is a fundamental part of quality data because it provides the basis for producing educational statistics from raw data, generally based upon internationally accepted standards, guidelines, and good practices. In developing the new system, establishing strong methodological soundness is a priority, as problems in this area can carry highly problematic repercussions across other parts of the system. In Suriname, there are currently some practices underway to validate the accuracy and reliability of data, though further support is needed both in terms of automated technical validation, as well as manual validation efforts. Automated procedures to cross-check data do not exist, instead validation is conducted through follow-up phone calls, which is time consuming and inefficient. Throughout meetings, numerous remarks were made about challenges associated with inaccurate and unreliable data. Accuracy and reliability is achieved when source data and statistical techniques are sound, and statistical outputs sufficiently portray reality. This is not yet a reality in Suriname, though pieces of this validation process are underway, and the launch of the new system is a key turning point, with potential to make the necessary adjustments to improve data accuracy and reliability. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 11 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 EMIS has not been able to produce the annual education statistics yearbook since 2008, making it four years behind schedule and revealing major challenges with periodicity and timeliness. Currently there is not an efficient way to produce timely reports. Data is collected, but not analyzed or disseminated. With regard to statistical techniques, the Department of Research and Planning needs training on areas such as techniques used to validate data accuracy, as well as calculating a wider variety of relevant indicators (in addition to those listed above). The Department of Research and Planning requested capacity building support in both quantitative and qualitative analysis, good practices in research and planning, as well as excel and SPSS, databases, Microsoft Project, and other ICT-related topics. The General Bureau of Statistics also voiced interest in similar trainings, and highlighted that collaborative training sessions across data collecting agencies would not only increase capacity, but also build alignment and integration between units. The Department has three sections, research, planning and monitoring; however, both planning and monitoring are currently not staffed. For the new system to be effective, these positions must be filled and training in statistical techniques, as well as the other areas mentioned, must be prioritized. Policy Area 4: Utilization for Decision Making Latent z||| The utilization of Suriname’s EMIS was assessed by examining four areas: (1) openness; (2) operational use; (3) accessibility; and (4) effectiveness in disseminating findings. In Suriname, EMIS utilization is limited and does not play a significant role in operational use. A significant portion of time is committed to data collection and validation, which is conducted manually with little automated support from the system. Once in the system and validated, data is not analyzed strategically nor is it utilized to achieve learning outcomes. Suriname’s EMIS is not currently disseminating education statistics via a website or the statistics yearbook. As previously described, between 2009 and 2013, data was collected, analyzed and is in the final stages of being validated and cleaned, but there has been no public dissemination of data. Moving forward, efforts to disseminate data (especially circulating it back to schools), consider new platforms for utilization, publish simple comprehensible data, and support capacity of EMIS users are important steps to strengthen the accessibility of EMIS in Suriname. Education statistics should be presented in an understandable manner and widely disseminated using simple platforms for utilization, complemented by user support. Dissemination of education statistics should be strategic and effective. To achieve effectiveness in disseminating findings/results, a dissemination strategy should be developed along with measurable objectives. As the new SIMS platform takes root in Suriname, a dissemination strategy and measures of effectiveness should be put into practice. EMIS in Suriname is not open to education stakeholders. Openness is a central part of utilization and is demonstrated by a system that is accessible to education stakeholders, in terms of both their awareness of the system, and their capacity to use the system. When openness is achieved, stakeholders can use the system in accordance with the legal framework, and current and potential EMIS users are aware of the EMIS and its outputs. Additionally, EMIS users have the skills to interpret, manipulate, and utilize data produced by the system, in order to ultimately disseminate findings. Summary This assessment highlighted weaknesses in the current EMIS in the areas of enabling environment, system soundness, quality data, and utilization. Suriname’s EMIS benchmark (table 4) portray a country that has experienced some difficulty in establishing an effective EMIS. Government officials at MINOWC are keenly aware of these issues and eager to identify and pursue solutions. A variety of contributing factors make this a promising time for EMIS in Suriname. There is high-level buy-in, both within MINOWC and across the government, to improve processes for collecting, managing and utilizing data. MINOWC selected a new system with strong potential for robust data coverage. Powered by political will and stakeholder interest, the country is now poised to move into the next stage of steady EMIS advancement. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 12 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 To make the most of current opportunities, MINOWC could benefit from thinking strategically about EMIS, not only as an information system, but holistically in the context of the larger education system. A thoughtful, long-term strategy needs to focus on moving from a software platform to an institutionalized system. The government is addressing some of these issues by deploying a new software solution. However the move to a new EMIS needs to be executed carefully as it requires serious planning, budgeting, capacity building, proper sequencing, communication and collaboration. All stakeholders need to be involved to ensure system completeness. Intergovernmental collaboration between ministries, and collaboration between departments within ministries is essential, as it is critical to maximize proper implementation and better returns on government expenditures. For EMIS to steadily advance, MINOWC must get the technical aspects right in regard to customization and deployment of the new product. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to link EMIS with overarching education goals, use the system to answer key policy questions, track progress to strategic goals, and to plan into the future. In examining successful EMIS deployments, decision makers often set a 3 to 5 year plan with strategic EMIS milestones. Milestones might include rolling out a new module or program, expanding data coverage, or integrating with another agency. Mapping to each milestone, decision makers identify the necessary staff, professional development, and technical tools necessary to reach the milestone; as well as the associated measures that assess the extent to which the milestone was achieved. Recommendations and Proposed Activities This section presents a set of recommendations and proposed activities based on the assessment of EMIS in Suriname (table 4). Recommendations and activities aim to improve the overall Table 4: Suriname EMIS Rankings EMIS functionality in a sustainable and effective manner, to Latent 1. Enabling Environment ensure better access and use of information for decision z||| making, planning, and student learning. Future activities to Emerging 2. System Soundness improve the EMIS should be strategically designed such that zz|| they incrementally boost dimensions of the EMIS to a more Latent advanced level, ultimately improving overall EMIS functionality 3. Quality Data z||| in a sustainable and effective manner. The Strengths Latent Weaknesses Opportunities Threats (SWOT) identification 4. Utilization for Decision Making z||| (table 5) summarizes key points from the needs assessment and informs recommendations. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 13 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Table 5: Suriname EMIS SWOT Profile Strengths Weaknesses x Political will and buy-in from high-level officials x Previous attempts to implement the EMIS did not x The Department of Research and Planning is eager and has consider two important aspects, institutionalization been working on identifying their weaknesses and a roadmap and operationalization of the system. This is what to move forward contributed to failures and missteps. x Identification and procurement of a new system and x Absence of explicit EMIS policies to ensure eagerness to move on with customization and sustainability and continuity of operation implementation x Insufficient coordination within MINOWC and with external agencies, including schools x Human capacity at the Ministry and capacity at school levels is missing at all levels x Limited channels for communication to inform and update stakeholders, for example between the ICT team and the Department of Research and Planning. Opportunities Threats x Many school principals are eager to implement EMIS and x Barriers to coordination and communication continue have strong training and experience to exist x Many schools are effectively managing data on their own, x Rushing to implement the new system (SIMS) could lead outside of EMIS to breakdowns and failures - implementing new x New EMIS system has potential to expand data coverage to technology is difficult include financial, human resources, and learning outcomes x Not having the process fully institutionalized could be data. affected by changes in government and will threaten x The experience of the Ministry of Finance implementing the system sustainability in the long term FreeBalance system may lead to the sharing of experiences x Staff turnover by providing integration and training Given that Suriname has invested in a new information management system called SIMS, considerable time should be spent planning its design and implementation. This should include a review of the system’s existing technical capabilities, followed by subsequent efforts to design necessary modules for data collection, data processing, analysis, and utilization at local, regional and central levels. Ensuring pathways for integration should be a priority, including the complete migration of data from old systems such as OIS, as well as integration of the new system with additional ones such as the Ministry of Finance’s FreeBalance software or the information system used by the Bureau of Examinations. Even if these systems are not immediately integrated, key steps to ensure the integration should be undertaken at this early stage. The customization and rollout of SIMS will be a complex and challenging process, some of the essential activities that will contribute to effectively implementing the new system are: x Fit/Gap analysis – Develop a strategy that identifies the extent to which the new system fits the needs and meets the necessary requirements of Suriname’s education system. This process should identify the major gaps, and employ techniques to address them. x User group meetings – Convene stakeholder groups at all levels including MINOWC (Research and Planning, Inspection Bureaus, Examination, etc.) and representative groups from schools (teachers, principals and parents) to review goals with regard to data utilization. What key questions do users want to have answered by the data? How will the data be used to monitor and guide the larger education strategy? Work backwards to identify data coverage needs based on these questions. Also, user group meetings should identify key areas of responsibility, for example, which groups are responsible for data validation? User group meetings also clarify collaboration and data sharing procedures. x Establish the enabling environment – A review of existing policies (policy gap analysis) and identification of areas where more comprehensive EMIS policies might be able to enhance the system’s effectiveness. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 14 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 x Training – Significant investment and time must be directed toward training at all levels of the education system. Training should continue over time, with an initial training followed by refresher trainings. x Test pilot – Provides an opportunity to test the system. Removing bugs and software errors at this time will make user adoption easier. Figure 6: Sample Project Timeline Some of these activities are outlined below (figure 6), with the Fit gap User Data Training Test Refresher minimal recommended timeline for each. Activities and analysis group conversion pilot training timeline are subject to high levels of variability, but on average, meetings rolling out a new information system will take at least two 2 2 6 6 3-4 2-3 years to be fully completed. months months months months months months Building and strengthening a team to lead the efforts in implementing, maintaining and driving forward Suriname’s EMIS is vital to the success of the new system. As part of this process, the Department of Research and Planning should be recognized as the initial and primary recipient of education data. Currently, primary and lower secondary schools report data directly to the Department of Research and Planning; however, senior secondary schools report to the Inspection Bureaus. The Department of Research and Planning is in the process of working with the Inspection Bureaus to transition all school data to go directly to Research and Planning. This transition will help streamline the flow of data and positions the Department of Research and Planning to be primarily responsible for Suriname’s EMIS.The Government of Suriname should support the Department of Research and Planning in recruitment, capacity building and training, to help the Department reach its vision of becoming “a professional research center with data collected, managed, analyzed, and utilized at all levels of the education system”. O&P should be strengthened with additional technical ICT staff, to increase in-house expertise where possible. Strengthening coordination and cooperating with the ICT team is also vital to success. A consistent need for capacity building across MINOWC was voiced across meetings. MINOWC staff are highly capable and have a strong sense of where their strengths and weaknesses lie. There are opportunities to build capacity at all levels of the education system, in areas ranging from enabling environment and system soundness, to quality of data and utilization of data for decision making. Training should continue over time, with initial training programs followed by refresher trainings. The type of data collected and indicators produced by the EMIS should be reviewed and further developed. Workshops with the Department of Research and Planning that include participants from other MINOWC departments as well as schools, could review existing data and determine the adjustments to data coverage and the indicators produced. Once data and key performance indicators are identified, dashboards need to be developed in order to monitor indicators. Security protocols for the new system may need to be reviewed and revised. The Department of Research and Planning should lead this process with input from technical teams and the EMIS vendor. The launch of SIMS presents an opportunity to increase the participation of schools, including having schools report data directly into a centralized and integrated system. This reduces chances of error in data handling and recording, and saves a substantial amount of time, previously committed to manually inputting hand-written data into the system. This type of integrated system would also increase efficiency for principals who currently report data to multiple sources. With SIMS they will be able to simply report data into the system once, where it can be accessed by other departments. Efficiency gains also extend beyond MINOWC. For example, the Department of Research and Planning reports data to the General Bureau of Statistics among other agencies, and the General Bureau of Statistics also collects and validates education data separately. Currently a tremendous amount of time and effort is going into data collection and reporting processes that are inefficient and redundant, a challenge that was emphasized by MINOWC staff. The validity of data need to be ensured through both technical and manual processes. Automated and built-in mechanisms to conduct audits, quality assurance measures, and flag inconsistent/inaccurate data need to be established. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 15 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Further, processes to hold schools and regional offices accountable for the accuracy of data should be put in place. Regular internal and external audits need to be established. The Department of Research and Planning should lead these validation efforts. Improve data utilization for better system-wide efficiency as well as teaching and learning practices. Too often a country will spend considerable investment in establishing an EMIS, but will overlook the critical aspect of utilization. An EMIS is only as good as its utilization. Without being used, data loses its value. Additionally, utilization is not limited to central government, but must include district and school-level stakeholders, as well as parents, students, and even community members. Schools should be active data users. Schools are the frontline of data collection, and for data collection to be truly effective, teachers and principals should do more than simply collect data for a school census. The Department of Research and Planning should develop utilization training materials for teachers and principals with the goal of helping them to understand the value of data and gain tangible skills in data manipulation. Additionally, the new SIMS platform should provide a direct access point to EMIS data. It should be capable of creating feedback loops carrying national and regional analysis back to schools so that the flow of data is not one-directional. Training strategies, such as networks of trainers, could be employed to scale training opportunities across the country. In order to achieve all these recommendations, the enabling environment for EMIS needs to be strengthened. This involves developing an explicit EMIS policy that includes key elements such as budgeting, human resources, institutional structure, data collection and utilization. EMIS policies drive the effectives of an EMIS, while securing the sustainability of the system. Drawing from regional and global best practices, the design of a comprehensive EMIS strategy, and associated policies, should be a phased process led by the Department of Research and Planning. Preparation of this document and related policies could include a series of conversations and workshops with stakeholders across MINOWC, as well as external stakeholders from relevant government agencies such as the General Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Planning, the Bureau of Examinations and the Inspection Bureaus. EMIS policies drive effectiveness and safeguard the system in a variety of ways. Policies that mandate EMIS and EMIS resources establish continuity and sustainability for the system. Further, policies that specify responsibilities and roles for data collection and management prevent interference from external agencies. Similarly, policies that guide processes and procedures for working with other units and other sources of data contribute to improvements in quality, efficiency, and integration. Policies can also help to establish the supply of data into the EMIS by requiring schools to submit data in a timely manner, and positioning the EMIS team as the primary data collection authority. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 16 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Acknowledgments This report was prepared by SABER-EMIS team members Husein Abdul-Hamid (Task Team Leader), Sarah Mintz, Namrata Saraogi and Wouter Takkenberg in collaboration with the Country Project Team Leader, Hongyu Yang. The report benefited immensely from the guidance and support of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, especially the Department of Research and Planning, and the General Bureau of Statistics. Finally, the SABER EMIS team is especially grateful for the many teachers and principals who shared their time, feedback and insights. Special thanks to colleagues providing support: Manar El-Iriqsousi, Cassia Miranda and Michael Melamed. Acronyms ADEK Anton de Kom University AHKCO Academy of Arts and Culture BDS Business and Data Solutions EMIS Education Management Information System GBS General Bureau of Statistics GLO Primary School IBO Department of Inspection Basic Education (Inspektie Basis Onderwijs) ICT Information and Communication Technologies IDB Inter-American Development Bank IMEAO Institution for Secondary Economic and Administrative Education IOL Institute for Advanced Teachers Training KO Pre-primary School LMS Learning Management System LOBO Training College for Teachers of Vocational Education MINOWC Ministry of Education, Science and Development MULO Junior Secondary General Education NATIN Senior Secondary Technical/Vocational O&P The Department of Research and Planning (Onderzoek en Planning) OIS MINOWC’s first EMIS (Onderwijs Informatie Systeem) PTC Polytechnic College SABER Systems Approach for Better Education Results SIMS School Information Management System SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats VOJ Junior Secondary Level Education VOS Senior Secondary Education VWO Senior Secondary General Academic Education HAVO Senior Secondary General Ordinary Education UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNICEF The United Nations Children's Fund VVOB The Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 17 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 References Abdul-Hamid, Husein. 2014. “SABER EMIS Framework Paper.” World Bank, Washington, DC. EP-Nuffic. 2014. “Landen-module: Suriname.” Government of Suriname. 2013. “Jaarplan 2014.” Inter-American Development Bank. 2012. “Second Basic Education Improvement Program (2nd BEIP) – Phase 1: Loan Proposal. (SU- L1019).” Luursma, E; Nabben, M; Brands, J. 2009. “From OIS towards EMIS, report 2.” Freeman Management Consultants. Milestone Consulting Solutions. “School Information Management System (SIMS).” http://www.milestonecs.biz/index.php/sims. Accessed March 16, 2016. Ministery of Education, Science and Culture (MINOWC). 2013. “ICT in Education: Report of current status. e-Education worldwide and specifically in Suriname (Situational analysis).” Government of Suriname. ___. 2014. “National Policy and Strategy on ICT in Education.” Government of Suriname. ___. 2012. “De Nieuwe Leerkracht: Voorstel tot gefaseerde vernieuwing van de opleiding.” Government of Suriname. ___. 2014. “Suriname: Education for All Report 2010-2013.” Stichting Leerplanontwikkeling (SLO). 2011. “Evidence-based curriculumontwikkeling in Suriname.” ___. 2011. “Op weg naar een curriculum voor het basisonderwijs: Curriculumraamwerk en leerlijnen” World Development Indicators 2014. Washington, DC: World Bank. doi:10.1596/978- 1-4648-0163-1. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 18 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Appendix A: Summary of Policy Lever Benchmarking Policy goal Policy lever Scorea Weight Benchmark Legal framework 0.33 15% Latent Organizational structure and 1.77 15 Emerging institutionalized processes Enabling environment Human resources 0.94 15 Latent Infrastructural capacity 1.04 15 Emerging Budget 0.26 15 Latent Data-driven culture 0.57 10 Latent Data architecture 1.67 20 Emerging Data coverage 0.44 30 Latent System soundness Data analytics 0.88 15 Latent Dynamic system 0.86 15 Latent Serviceability 1.62 20 Emerging Methodological soundness 1.35 25 Emerging Accuracy and reliability 0.62 25 Latent Quality data Integrity 0.23 25 Latent Periodicity and timeliness 0.67 25 Latent Openness 0.36 15 Latent Operational use 0.26 50 Latent Utilization in decision making Accessibility 0.12 20 Latent Effectiveness in disseminating findings 0.40 15 Latent a. 0–0.99 = Latent; 1–1.9 = Emerging; 2–2.9 = Established; 3–4 = Advanced. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 19 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Appendix B: Extended Rubric, Suriname Scores Highlighted in Red Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced The system contains crucial components of a comprehensive The system enabling The system lacks The system contains contains basic The system contains environment, which major components of most components of components of a crucial components of POLICY AREA 1: ENABLING ENVIRONMENT addresses related a comprehensive a comprehensive comprehensive a comprehensive policy elements and enabling enabling enabling enabling environment enables the environment environment environment functioning of an effective and dynamic system Institutionalization of system: EMIS is institutionalized as an integral part of the education system and the government Responsibility: responsibility for collecting, processing, and disseminating education statistics is given to a clearly designated institution Basic components or agency An existing legal of a legal There is an existing Most elements of a Dynamic framework: the legal framework supports A legal framework is framework or legal framework to 1.1 Legal framework legal framework are framework is dynamic and elastic so a fully functioning not in place informal support a fully in place that it can adapt to advancements in EMIS mechanisms are in functioning EMIS technology place Data supply: the legal framework mandates that schools participate in EMIS by providing education data Comprehensive, quality data: the requirement for comprehensive, quality data is clearly specified in the EMIS legal framework Data sharing and coordination: the legal framework allows for adequate data sharing and coordination between the Ministry of Education and agencies and/or institutions that require education data SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 20 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced Utilization: the legal framework emphasizes data-driven education policy Budget: the education system budget includes a line item for EMIS Confidentiality: the legal framework guarantees that respondents’ data are confidential and used for the sole purpose of statistics The system is The institutional institutionalized The institutional The system is structure of the within the The system is not structure of the institutionalized system is defined government, has specified in policies, system is not within the Organizational within the well-defined and what exists does clearly specified in government, has well- structure and Organizational structure and government, it has 1.2 organizational not have well-defined policies, it has some defined organizational institutionalized institutionalized processes defined processes, and has organizational organizational processes, and has processes organizational several processes; EMIS has processes, and its several functionalities processes, but its functionalities limited functionalities functionalities are beyond statistical functionalities are beyond statistical limited reporting limited reporting Personnel: the core tasks of EMIS are Minimum standards Some staff are identified and EMIS is staffed with of qualification are The majority of staff All staff are qualified Qualified staff qualified to operate qualified people not met for the are qualified to to operate the system, operate the system, the system, and majority of staff that operate the system, and well-established and opportunities limited operate the system and frequent opportunities are 1.3 Human resources are available to opportunities are and opportunities are opportunities are constantly available to improve their available to not available to available to improve improve staff performance and improve staff improve their staff performance performance and retention performance and Professional development: professional performance and and retention retention retention training is available for EMIS staff retention Infrastructural Data collection: tools for data The system has a The system has an The system has a well- 1.4 capacity collection are available well-defined infrastructure that defined infrastructure SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 21 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced Database(s): databases exist under the infrastructure to allows it to perform to fully perform its umbrella of the data warehouse and perform data some of its functions data collection, have both hardware and software collection, in an integral management, and means management, and manner dissemination dissemination The system lacks a The system has a functions in an Data management system: a system is in place that manages data collection, functions in an well-defined basic or incomplete integral manner integral manner infrastructure infrastructure processing, and reporting Data dissemination: data dissemination tools are available and maintained by the agency producing education statistics Personnel and professional development: the EMIS budget contains a specific budget for EMIS personnel and their professional development Maintenance: the EMIS budget The system budget contains a specific budget for system contains the majority The system budget is The system budget is maintenance and recurrent costs of required comprehensive, The system suffers The system has a comprehensive, categories to ensure 1.5 Budget ensuring that the from serious basic or incomplete ensuring that the Reporting: the EMIS budget contains a that most parts of system is sustainable budgetary issues budget system is sustainable specific budget for reporting costs the system are and efficient and efficient sustainable and Physical infrastructure: the EMIS efficient budget contains a specific budget for physical infrastructure costs Efficient use of resources: processes and procedures are in place to ensure that resources are used efficiently SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 22 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced A data-driven culture A data-driven culture exists that prioritizes The system has a prioritizes data as a The system suffers data management and data-driven culture A data-driven culture fundamental because there is not a utilization within and that demonstrates exists that prioritizes element of data-driven culture beyond the education Data-driven a basic appreciation data management Data-driven culture operations and that prioritizes data system, and evidence Culture of data and interest and utilization within decision making, management and of that culture is in developing and beyond the both inside and data utilization in present in daily better data education system outside of the decision making interaction and utilization practices education system decision making at all levels The system has The system has The processes and The processes and basic processes some processes and structure of EMIS structure of the The system lacks and a structure a structure, but they are sound and system are sound and POLICY AREA 2: SYSTEM SOUNDNESS processes and that do not support do not fully support support the support the structure the components of the components of components of an components of an an integrated an integrated integrated system integrated system system system The system's data The system's data structure has most The data The system's data architecture elements of the data The data architecture architecture is well structure does not includes some architecture; is well defined to 2.1 Data architecture Data architecture defined to ensure have a well-defined components; however, it has some ensure full system full system data architecture however, it is deficiencies that functionality functionality incomplete affect the system's functionality Administrative data: EMIS contains administrative data The data in the system are The data in the Financial data: EMIS contains financial comprehensive and The data in the The data in the The data in the system system are far from data cover administrative, system include system include most are comprehensive 2.2 Data coverage being comprehensive, financial, human some of the data but not all of the and cover all data Human resources data: EMIS contains and coverage is resources, and areas data areas areas human resources data limited learning outcomes Learning outcomes data: EMIS contains data learning outcomes data SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 23 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced Basic tools and processes are Tools and processes available, but the Tools and processes Tools and processes are available to system is not Tools and processes are available; are available to perform data capable of 2.3 Data analytics Data analytics are used to perform however, data perform data analytics analytics at different conducting limited tabulations analytics are not at different levels on a levels on a regular advanced analytical performed regularly regular basis basis steps (e.g., predictive models, projections) Quality assurance measures: the system is dynamic and maintains The system in place The system in place is quality assurance measures The system in place is not easily The system in place is not easily adaptable is elastic and easily adaptable and The system in place elastic and easily Data requirements and considerations: to changes adaptable to allow requires significant is easily adaptable, adaptable to allow for 2.4 Dynamic system mechanisms exist for addressing new /advancements in for changes time and resources but it remains changes/ and emerging data requirements data needs, as no /advancements in to accommodate reasonably complex advancements in data System adaptability: EMIS is elastic and quality assurance data needs changes and/or needs easily adaptable to allow for changes standards are used advancements and/or advancements in data needs Validity across data sources: information brought together from different data and/or statistical frameworks in EMIS is placed within Services provided by Services provided by the data warehouse using structural the system are valid the system are valid and consistency measures across data sources, across data sources, integrate non- integrate non- Integration of non-education databases education databases education databases into EMIS: data from sources collected into EMIS, and Serious issues exist Inconsistencies The data are into EMIS, and archive by agencies outside EMIS are archive data at the related to data exist related to consistent and valid; data at the service of 2.5 Serviceability integrated into the EMIS data service of EMIS validity and data validity and however, some EMIS clients by warehouse clients by ensuring consistency consistency concerns still exist ensuring the Archiving data: multiple years of data the relevance, relevance, are archived, including source data, consistency, consistency, metadata, and statistical results usefulness, and usefulness, and Services to EMIS clients: services timeliness of its timeliness of its provided by the system to EMIS clients statistics statistics include ensuring the relevance, consistency, usefulness, and timeliness of its statistics SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 24 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced The system has most mechanisms in place The system has the needed to collect, The system has the mechanisms The system has save, and produce required mechanisms required to collect, basic mechanisms timely, high-quality in place to collect, The system lacks save, produce, and to collect, save, information for use save, produce, and mechanisms to utilize information, and produce in decision making; utilize information, collect, save, or POLICY AREA 3: QUALITY DATA which ensures timely, quality however, some which ensures produce timely, high- accuracy, security, information; additional measures accuracy, security, quality information and timely, high- however, its are needed to and timely, high- for decision making quality information accuracy might be ensure accuracy, quality information for use in decision questionable security, and/ or for use in decision making timely information making that can be used for decision making Concepts and definitions: data fields, records, concepts, indicators, and metadata are defined and documented in official operations manuals along with other national datasets and The methodological endorsed by the government The methodological The methodological The methodological basis for producing The methodological basis for producing basis for producing Classification: defined education basis for producing educational basis for producing educational statistics educational statistics system classifications are based on educational statistics statistics follows educational statistics from raw data follows most Methodological technical guidelines and manuals does not follow the basics of from raw data follows 3.1 follows required soundness Scope: the scope of education statistics internationally internationally internationally internationally internationally is broader than and not limited to a accepted standards, accepted accepted standards, accepted standards, accepted standards, small number of indicators (e.g., guidelines, or good standards, guidelines, and good guidelines, and good guidelines, and good measurements of enrollment, class practices guidelines, and practices practices practices size, and completion) good practices Basis for recording: data-recording systems follow internationally accepted standards, guidelines, and good practices Source data: available source data Source data and Source data and Source data and Source data and Accuracy and Source data and 3.2 provide an adequate basis for statistical techniques statistical statistical techniques statistical techniques reliability statistical techniques compiling statistics are sound and techniques have follow most required are sound and SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 25 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced Validation of source data: source data reliable, and lack soundness and basic soundness elements to be reliable, and statistical are consistent with the definition, statistical outputs reliability and reliability, but sound and reliable, outputs sufficiently scope, and classification as well as time sufficiently portray statistical outputs but statistical portray reality of recording, reference periods, and reality do not portray outputs do not valuation of education statistics reality portray reality Statistical techniques: statistical techniques are used to calculate accurate rates and derived indicators Professionalism: EMIS staff exercise their profession with technical Education statistics Education statistics independence and without outside contained within Education statistics contained within the interference that could result in the the system are contained within the Education statistics system are mostly violation of the public trust in EMIS Education statistics guided by limited system are guided by contained within the guided by principles statistics and EMIS itself contained within the principles of all three principles of 3.3 Integrity system are not of integrity (two of system are guided by integrity (one of the integrity: Transparency: statistical policies and guided by principles the three principles principles of integrity three principles of professionalism, practices are transparent of integrity of professionalism, professionalism, transparency, and Ethical standards: policies and practices transparency, and transparency, and ethical standards in education statistics are guided by ethical standards) ethical standards) ethical standards Periodicity: the production of reports and other outputs from the data The system produces The system The system produces The system produces The system produces warehouse occur in accordance with data and statistics produces some most data and Periodicity and data and statistics all data and statistics 3.4 cycles in the education system neither periodically data and statistics statistics periodically timeliness periodically in a periodically and in a Timeliness: final statistics and financial nor in a timely periodically and in a and in a timely timely manner timely manner statistics are both disseminated in a manner timely manner manner timely manner The system is wholly There are no signs The system is used The system is used The system is wholly utilized by different that EMIS is utilized by some education by most education utilized by different users for decision in decision making by stakeholders, but stakeholders but is users for decision POLICY AREA 4: UTILIZATION FOR DECISION MAKING making at different the majority of not for major not fully operational making at different levels of the education policy decision in governmental levels of the education system stakeholders making decision making education system EMIS stakeholders: EMIS primary The system is open The system lacks The system is open The system is open The system is open to stakeholders are identified and use the to education openness to to some education to the majority of all education system in accordance with the legal stakeholders in education stakeholders in education stakeholders in terms 4.1 Openness framework terms of their stakeholders in terms terms of their stakeholders in of their awareness User awareness: current and potential awareness and of their awareness awareness and terms of their and capacity to utilize EMIS users are aware of EMIS and its capacity to utilize and capacity to utilize capacity to utilize awareness and the system outputs the system the system the system SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 26 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced User capacity: EMIS users have the capacity to utilize the skills to interpret, manipulate, and system utilize the data produced by the system to ultimately disseminate findings Utilization in evaluation: data produced by EMIS are used to assess the education system Utilization in governance: data produced by EMIS are used for governance purposes Data produced by Data produced by Data produced by the Data produced by Data produced by the Utilization by schools: data produced the system are used the system are used system are not used the system are system are used in by EMIS are used by schools in practice by the 4.2 Operational use in practice by the in practice by used in practice by practice by the main majority of Utilization by clients: data produced by main education education some education education education EMIS are used by clients (including stakeholders stakeholders stakeholders stakeholders stakeholders parents, communities, and other actors) Utilization by government: the system is able to produce summative indicators (derived variables) to monitor education system Understandable data: data are presented in an easily digestible manner Education statistics Education statistics Widely disseminated data: education are presented in an are presented in an statistics are disseminated beyond the understandable understandable Ministry of Education and/or the manner and are The system suffers The system has The system has manner and are education statistics–producing agency 4.3 Accessibility widely disseminated from serious major accessibility minor accessibility widely disseminated to other EMIS stakeholders using clear platforms accessibility issues issues issues using a clear platform Platforms for utilization: platforms are for utilization, for utilization, standardized across EMIS and are complemented by complemented by customizable to user needs user support user support User support: assistance is provided to EMIS users upon request to help them access the data Effectiveness in Dissemination strategy: national Dissemination is A dissemination plan Dissemination of Dissemination is The dissemination of 4.4 disseminating governments have an information neither strategic nor has been education statistics reasonably education statistics via findings dissemination strategy in place effective implemented; SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 27 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Scoring Description of Policy levers Indicators best practices Latent Emerging Established Advanced via EMIS is strategic strategic, but however, room EMIS is strategic and and effective ineffective exists for effective Dissemination effectiveness: improvement (for dissemination of EMIS statistics is full effectiveness in effective relation to strategic engagement) SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 28 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Appendix C: Suriname Education Structure Source: ED-Nuffic, 2014 SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 29 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Appendix D: MINOWC Education Organizational Chart SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 30 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Minister van Onderwijs / Minister of Education Onderdirectoraat Ontwikkelingsdienst / Development Services Division NUCS Nationale Unesco Commissie – National Unesco Commission OP Onderzoek en Planning – Research and Planning PCU Project Coördinatie Unit – Project Coordination Unit CO Curriculum Ontwikkeling – Curriculum Development BEG Begeleiding - Supervision Directeur van Onderwijs / Director of Education PI Pedologisch Instituut – Pedagogical Institute TRC Teacher Resource Centers – Teacher Resource Centers BSO Bureau Speciaal Onderwijs – Office of Special Education BCM Bureau Communicatie en Media – Office of Communication and Media BVE Bureau Voorschoolse Educatie – Office of Preschool Education BIB Bureau Internationale Betrekkingen – Office of International Relations AVE Alfabetisering en Volwassen Educatie – Literacy and Adult Education BIC Bureau Interne Controle – Office of Internal Oversight BICTO Bureau Informatie, Communicatie, Technologie en Onderwijs - Office of Onderdirectoraat Hoger Onderwijs / Higher Education Division Information, Communication, Technology and Education BHO Bureau Hoger Onderwijs – Office of Higher Education CDIV Centrale Documentatie en Informatie Voorziening – Central Documentation and Information Services Onderdirectoraat Technische Diensten / Technical Services Division BVT Bureau Vertalingen – Office of Translations SB Schoonmaak en Bewaking – Cleaning and Security BJZ Bureau Juridische Zaken – Office of Legal Affairs GT Gebouwen en Terreinen – Buildings and Grounds IHO Inspectie Hoger Onderwijs – Inspection, Higher Education VV Vervoer – Transportation IVOS Inspectie Voortgezet Onderwijs op Senioren niveau – Inspection, Senior Secondary Education Onderdirectoraat Educatieve Studenten Opvang Centra – Educational Boarding Centers Division IVOJ Inspectie Voortgezet Onderwijs op Junioren niveau – Inspection, Junior INT Internaten – Boarding Schools Secondary Education IBO Inspectie Basisonderwijs – Inspection, Primary Education Onderdirectoraat Beroepsonderwijs / Vocational Education Division PDC Pedagogisch Didactisch Centrum – Pedegogical Didactic Center BMBO Bureau Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs – Office of Secondary Vocational Education OCC Onderwijs Coördinatie Centra – Education Coordination Centers BLBO Bureau Lager Beroepsonderwijs – Office of Primary Vocational Education HRM Human Resource Management – Human Resource Management Onderdirectoraat Onderwijs / Education Division Onderdirectoraat Financieel Beheer / Financial Services Division BVOS Bureau Voortgezet Onderwijs op Senioren niveau – Office of FZ Financiële Zaken – Financial Services Senior Secondary Education BZ Begrotingszaken – Budgetary Affairs BVOJ Bureau Voortgezet Onderwijs op Junioren niveau – Office of SUB Subsidie – Subsidies Junior Secondary Education INK Inkoop – Procurement BBO Bureau Basisonderwijs – Office of Primary Education EXB Examenbureau – Office of Exams BIBW Bibliotheekwezen – Library Science LPD Leermiddelen, Productie en Distributie – Textbook, Production and Distribution BOS Bureau Onderwijs Informatie en Studiefaciliteiten – Office of Education Information and Study Facilities Onderdirectoraat Administratieve Diensten / Administrative Services Division PZ Personeelszaken – Personnel Services AZ Algemene Zaken – General Affairs DIV Documentatie en Informatie Voorziening – Documentation and Information Services SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 31 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 Appendix E: Research & Planning Organizational Chart with Current Staffing Numbers HEAD RESEARCH, PLANNING & MONITORING 1 SECRETARIAT 1 2 HEAD OF SECTION HEAD OF SECTION HEAD OF SECTION RESEARCH 1 2 PLANNING MONITORING 1 1 EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE EMPLOYEE RESEARCH PLANNING MONITORING 10 9 0 0 SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 32 SURINAME ǀ EMIS SABER COUNTRY REPORT |2016 www.worldbank.org/education/saber The Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) initiative collects data on the policies and institutions of education systems around the world and benchmarks them against practices associated with student learning. SABER aims to give all parties with a stake in educational results—from students, administrators, teachers, and parents to policy makers and business people—an accessible, detailed, objective snapshot of how well the policies of their country's education system are oriented toward ensuring that all children and youth learn. This report focuses specifically on policies in the area of Education Management Information Systems. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of The World Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries, colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS 33