USE OF ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS IN NEPAL

1. USE OF ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS IN NEPAL T. S. Bastola, Central Bureau of Statistics, Nepal.

2. STATISTICAL SYSTEM OF NEPAL • The official statistical system of Nepal is decentralized in practice. • CBS is the major statistical agency in the country. • Ministries and other Government agencies produce statistics related to their fields. • Other sources of statistics include the Central Bank and several semi-government agencies.

3. SOURCES OF EDUCATION STATISTICS IN NEPAL Sources of education statistics: • Ministry of Education, • Department of Education, • Other MoE affiliated institutions, • Central Bureau of Statistics, • Other ministries and government agencies, • Autonomous bodies and semi-government agencies.

4. EDUCATION STATISTICS BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE DATA • Nepal in Educational Figures, • Flash Reports of Schools, • SLC Results Report, • School Teachers Records, • Statistics on Higher Education, • Reports of MoE affiliated Bodies, • Reports of other institutions.

5. EDUCATION STATISTICS AND MDG INDICATORS Following MDG indicators on education are compiled using administrative records: net enrolment ratio in primary education, primary completion rate, proportion of pupils starting grade one who reach grade five, and ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education.

6. PROBLEMS OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA • Records result in deficiencies, • Records with varying scope and coverage, • Challenged in terms of completeness and correctness, • Problems with flash reports, • Record keeping system is not accurate, • Manual processing create problems,

7. PROBLEMS OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA • Do not always meet the needs of general users, • Little or no information about individual students, • There is timeliness issue, • Considerable jumps are seen in data without any supporting evidences, • Reports are often exaggerated.

8. MANAGEMENT ISSUES OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Uses of Data In Nepal the major uses of administrative records for statistical purposes include compilation of: national accounts statistics, indicators for MDGs, sector related indicators, and sample frame (in few cases).

9. MANAGEMENT ISSUES OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Management Issues • Often, concepts and definitions do not confirm to international standards, • Incomplete data create problems: problems of school reporting, • Increasing pressure to produce more disaggregated data.

10. MANAGEMENT ISSUES OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Quality Issues • Quality checks for administrative data are scarce, • Linkage between EMIS and other MIS system is weak, • NPC is considering to establish a comprehensive system.

11. MANAGEMENT ISSUES OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Relationship with Agencies • Difficult to establish relationship with different data producing agencies, • Low status of CBS makes it difficult to coordinate statistical activities, • CBS does not provide any formal trainings to other agencies, • DOE has implemented a series of training and orientation programmes.

12. MANAGEMENT ISSUES OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Major Weaknesses • Lack of data sharing culture, • Administrative and statistical concepts, • Access of data from records, • Data not kept in organized way, • Nepali information system still weak.

13. IMPORTANCE OF USING ADMINISTRATIVE DATA Conclusion • Reasons for using administrative data are many, • Administrative data have several quality issues, • There is a long way to go before reaching to fruition.

14. THANK YOU