In 2020, MICS launched MICS Link/EMIS: a pilot project in Fiji and Eswatini to bring together information relevant to children's educational outcomes that is collected through household surveys and school administrative records.
EMIS is based on data periodically reported by school administrators and teachers, covering multiple dimensions of the education system (from information on student enrollment and learning to information on teachers’ qualifications, school management, expenditures, facilities, and infrastructure). Unlike MICS, school records do not capture socio-economic information about children and adolescents, their learning environment at home, or their parents’ involvement in education.
MICS and EMIS collect complementary information on different aspects of the education production function. Relying exclusively on MICS or EMIS data limits the potential for fully understanding the factors affecting education.
The pilot project in Fiji and Eswatini is being rolled out in collaboration with government stakeholders in both countries, including Ministries of Education, EMIS technical teams and National Statistical Offices. Linking both data sources will help answer key education policy questions: How does school infrastructure (e.g. WASH facilities, power, internet) contribute to education outcomes (e.g. access, retention and learning outcomes)? Controlling for school inputs, how does parental support contribute to learning outcomes?
The pilots in Fiji and Eswatini are expected to conclude before the end of 2021, with a summary of key MICS Link/EMIS statistics released around the time of the MICS Survey Findings Report, followed by further analysis to address key education policy questions in 2022.
For more information about MICS Link and the MICS Link/EMIS pilot, please see: MICS Link