JIS: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says an Education Management Information System (EMIS) is being developed that will provide a more detailed, data-driven profile of students.
He said that the EMIS will be supported by information from the National Student Registration System (NSRS) implemented in 2010 to capture biographical and other data on all students entering grade one.
Minister Reid said that with the EMIS, “you will now have an information management system and biodata on students, which will also dovetail into the Child Health and Development Passport, because what we really need is to know very early, the status of the students”.
“The same way you have immunisation data to know how healthy the child is, you also want to know how ready they are for the education system and if they have special needs,” he added.
Minister Reid was speaking with JIS News at a Regional Data Security Conference held on September 13 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.
He explained that EMIS will provide a complete profile of the child as soon as they enter the education system.
“For example, do they need special support? Information like that will enable us to track them, intervene and give special support where necessary, so a child that has physical disability, the data will tell you about that child and inform of which school to place them,” he told JIS News.
“We are going to collect more detailed information, so that the system develops a profile of the student, not just to say that you are registered but enable better planning and management within the system,” he added.
Held under the theme ‘Your Data Your Rights; What Individuals and Companies Should Know’, the Regional Data Security Conference was organised by the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Jamaica in association with one of its member companies, e-Biz Pro Train.
CAPTION: Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid (left), shares a light moment with Facebook Privacy and Public Policy Manager for Latin America, Paula Vargas, at a Regional Data Security Conference on September 13 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston.