Jamaica pilots digital education systems in 54 schools with support from UN agencies

A central part of the programme is the expansion of Jamaica’s Education Management Information System, known as EMIS, to bring together information currently spread across multiple platforms.

Jamaica has begun testing digital tools and systems in 54 schools through a joint programme supporting a more connected and inclusive education system. Led by UNESCO, UNICEF, FAO and WFP, the initiative supports the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information in improving how schools access information and organise their work. Teachers and school leaders will test the solutions and help shape their development before any wider expansion.

The SDG Joint Programme on Digital Transformation for Education seeks to strengthen teaching, learning and decision-making by improving connections between systems that currently operate separately. School leaders need timely information to plan effectively, and teachers and administrators need tools that reduce the time spent navigating fragmented platforms. The pilot will examine how digital solutions can meet these needs and help educators provide stronger support for students.

Nichole Thompson, National Project Officer for Digital Transformation at the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, outlined the pilot during a recent sensitization session in Mandeville, approximately 90 kilometres from Kingston. School leaders from Elletson Primary and Infant, Mile Gully High, Cross Keys High and Hazard Primary attended the session. Their involvement reflects the programme's emphasis on giving educators a direct role in testing systems intended for their daily use.

Connecting school information to support better decisions

A central part of the programme is the expansion of Jamaica's Education Management Information System, known as EMIS, to bring together information currently spread across multiple platforms. More accessible and timely data is expected to strengthen planning, improve decision-making and support better services for students, teachers and schools. The work addresses the practical difficulties educators face when information needed for a decision sits in several different places.

Marcia Phillips, Acting Senior Director in the Ministry, explained that digital transformation should help educators access the information they need at the time they need it. That access can help school staff identify needs and provide more effective support for students. The pilot will allow participating schools to assess how the proposed tools serve these everyday responsibilities.

Improving teacher records and staff employment processes

UNESCO is also supporting improvements to the collection and reporting of teacher data, which is currently distributed across several systems. This fragmentation makes information harder to access and use efficiently, creating difficulties for staff responsible for managing and reporting it. The programme focuses on improving connections between existing platforms and digitizing key employment processes for teaching and non-teaching staff.

Preparing school leaders to guide digital change

The programme recognises that successful digital transformation depends on teachers having the skills and confidence to use technology in their daily work. A workshop planned for early 2027 will focus on digital transformation and artificial intelligence, helping principals and school administrators understand emerging technologies and explore their responsible use in school leadership. Nicole Bella, Head of the Education Program at the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean, stressed the importance of equipping school leaders to recognise opportunities and guide change within their schools.

Feedback from teachers, administrators and school leaders will help refine the digital solutions as testing progresses across the 54 Ministry-selected schools. Their experience will inform decisions about how the tools and systems could be expanded across Jamaica's education system. The pilot provides an opportunity to connect improvements in information management with the practical support educators need to strengthen teaching and learning.