The Role of Data Governance in Advancing Quality Education: Insights from Kenya’s Education Sector
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57125/FED.2025.12.04Keywords:
Data Governance, Human Capital Development, Education Transformation, Digital Development, Education for Sustainable Development Goals.Abstract
Kenya’s youthful demographic offers substantial potential for socio-economic transformation; however, weaknesses in education data management continue to limit progress toward quality, equity, and effective human capital development. This study analyses the state of data governance in Kenya’s education system and assesses how governance structures, processes, and tools shape educational outcomes. Using the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs data governance framework, a mixed-methods design combined a policy desk review with 193 key informant interviews across 36 countries. Five governance pillars — roles and responsibilities, privacy standards, processes and procedures, policies and guidelines, and tools and practices — were evaluated across six operational dimensions to produce a national Data Governance Index (DGI). As the first systematic application of a DGI to the education sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, the study offers a benchmark for linking data governance to education quality and human capital formation. Kenya achieved a moderate DGI score of 0.58, with notable strengths in data quality (0.69), accessibility (0.65), and timeliness (0.59). Basic education institutions using the Kenya National Integrated Education Management System outperformed Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Early Childhood Development Education systems, which exhibited significant gaps in metadata documentation, security, and stewardship. County disparities were substantial: Kiambu and Narok recorded DGI scores above 0.80, whereas Isiolo and Tharaka Nithi recorded scores below 0.40. A modest positive correlation between DGI and the Human Development Index — particularly in data quality (r = 0.24) — underscores the role of governance in advancing human development. The study advances Human Capital Theory by positioning education data systems as mediators between policy and outcomes. Key recommendations include standardising metadata, automating validation, strengthening county-level security, and institutionalising stewardship roles. The findings provide a roadmap for Kenya and other developing countries seeking to strengthen education reform through robust data governance.
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