Community Voices - Jon F. Kapp, CSF Executive Director

Jon F. Kapp, Executive Director

Empowering Education: A Government-Led Approach with OpenEMIS
Over a decade ago, Community Systems Foundation partnered with UNESCO to transform education systems through robust, data-driven solutions. That partnership birthed OpenEMIS—a vision for a shared, open-source Education Management Information System (EMIS) adaptable to every country’s context.
Our brief at that time was very clear:  to design, develop and deliver a generalized and highly configurable EMIS solution - OpenEMIS.

Not without challenges, but over a decade on, the OpenEMIS Initiative has transformed into a global community - supporting and benefiting from that shared vision.

​The vision of the OpenEMIS Initiative remains:  to create a sustainable global public good, supported by a multi-stakeholder community, ensuring the availability of a cost-effective, flexible, shared EMIS solution, guided by international standards and best practices, underpinning the data needs of teachers, school administrators and education authorities wherever it is needed.

Core Philosophy
In the pursuit of equitable and efficient education systems, the OpenEMIS Initiative adopts a philosophy and strategy based on the principle that national education data systems should be:

• Government Owned - Governments should have full ownership and control over their education data, ensuring alignment with national policies and priorities
• Government Administered - Systems should be designed for ease of use and administration by government officials, reducing reliance on external consultants in the long term.
• Freely Available - OpenEMIS, a suite of open-source software provides a generalized but highly configurable modern EMIS that is accessible, adaptable, and free forever.

We have always believed in empowering countries with the tools to manage their education data independently, fostering sustainable development and data sovereignty.  This means we haven’t done the work for our partners, but instead, we’ve tried to work with our partners.  We do not administer systems; we do not manage data.  We train, we support, we backstop and we build better software to meet the needs of the community.

OpenEMIS software is a key component of this strategy, providing a robust, flexible, and scalable platform for education management. By supporting the deployment of OpenEMIS, we aim to enhance data-driven decision-making at all levels of the education system; improve the efficiency and transparency of education management processes; and build local capacity for system administration, maintenance and use.  But we don’t attempt to do it alone.

A Reflection and A Call to Action!
The government-led approach, while empowering, requires commitment and investment by our stakeholders and partners.  Where OpenEMIS is successful, this is evident.  And where OpenEMIS has struggled to take hold and support strengthened data-driven decisions, this is not.

Reliance on government ownership and administration means Community Systems Foundation's direct engagement is intentionally limited and costs are low(er).  For some countries, this is welcome.  In other cases, we recognize through experience that this may not be the best solution.  The success of OpenEMIS hinges significantly on strong government leadership and capable technical administrative oversight. If these are lacking, implementation and sustainability may be compromised. Additionally, while OpenEMIS being freely available minimizes licensing costs, investments in training, infrastructure, EMIS administration and ongoing local assistance are essential, and these may not be negligible.

But just as we offer different software options and different deployment options, perhaps in 2025, it’s time to take action to ensure different support and assistance options are readily available.

Our country counterparts may want and need a stronger hand in supporting and administering the national EMIS.  It may have been short sighted or presumptuous all these years to expect our partners to take a DIY approach.

Have we missed signals?  Are our country counterparts asking for more?

Reflecting on this, I take this moment as a call to action. For years, we have envisioned local and regional partners to support country and local implementation of OpenEMIS. And, we have envisioned something of a marketplace of both service providers and software solutions.
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Now is the time to build up a network of partners to be hands-on, on the ground, supporting EMIS, wherever needed.  And now is the time to build up a network of EdTech partners, who share a vision for an open source ecosystem, designed and built around a model of standards based, integration, interoperability and ultimately flexible, sustainable solutions designed to both both support transformation and transform itself as the needs of the education section changes. ​

We invite education stakeholders, policymakers, and technology experts to join us in supporting this government-led approach to education data management. Together, we can empower nations to build stronger, more equitable education systems for the future.
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So, if you fit into either or both categories - or aspire to do so - please get in touch to explore how you can be part of the OpenEMIS Initiative.