Former JKUAT Student Claims 11.4B Intellectual Property Theft in Ministry of Education’s NEMIS Project
A former JKUAT student, George Kamau, has alleged that the Ministry of Education stole and commercialized his software innovation without recognition or payment. The software, valued at KSh 11.4 billion, was the foundation of the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS).
According to George, the innovation—initially called Institution Network—was developed in 2012 during his first year at JKUAT as part of a project to digitize data management and communication in the education sector. The system was meant to centralize institutional records, student data and administrative communication across primary and secondary schools.
George says his innovation addressed the challenge of inter-school and Ministry communication which was then done through postal correspondence. He later registered a company Net Resource under which the innovation was copyrighted and patented.
In August 2015, George and his company wrote to the Ministry of Education through a letter to then Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i. The letter titled Institution Network: Our Innovation to the Ministry introduced the system for possible collaboration. After no response, a follow up letter was sent to the then Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang and an invitation to present the innovation at the Ministry’s offices was received.
George says a meeting was organized at Kenya Science Teachers College chaired by a Ministry official Ms. Rebecca. After the presentation, the Ministry’s ICT Department represented by Mr. Benson Omondi asked for the source code and database of the system “for further technical evaluation”. George provided the requested materials including the full concept documentation and system architecture.
In December 2016, the Ministry of Education organized a second presentation to all directorates at their headquarters and George submitted a concept note titled Countrywide Education Network. The note outlined three modules—Institution, Administrative and Staff—which were later mirrored in the NEMIS framework.
A Ministry report dated 9th December 2016 acknowledged the system’s potential and recommended further engagement between Net Resource and Kenya Education Staff Institute (KESI) to pilot the software.
George claims that despite the positive recommendations, he was later denied access to present to senior officials including the Principal Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary.
He says the Ministry went ahead and developed and implemented National Education Management Information System (NEMIS using his concept and materials after securing international funding of USD 88.4 million (approximately KSh 11.4 billion) in 2017.
A comparison by George shows structural and functional similarities between NEMIS and Institution Network particularly in the Institution, Staff and Learners modules. He says these modules are identical to those he outlined in his 2016 concept note and system blueprint.
Since 2019 Mr. Kamau has been seeking legal redress for the alleged intellectual property violation, he says multiple law firms have declined to take up the case due to its complexity and cost. He claims the efforts to get justice have been hindered by systemic obstacles and lack of cooperation.
Mr. Kamau further says NEMIS has had operational and implementation challenges since its rollout. He attributes these failures to lack of technical understanding of the system’s conceptual framework. He notes that despite an estimated expenditure of over KSh 11 billion, the Ministry has now introduced a new system—Kenya Education Management Information System (KEMIS)—with an additional allocation of about KSh 10 billion.
He says the new KEMIS framework has the same core functionalities as his original Institution Network design including modules that enable communication between schools, parents and the Ministry through integrated digital platforms.
The new system will replace NEMIS and will be a digital repository for all learner information and other education sector aspects. According to Basic Education Principal Secretary Ambassador Julius Bitok.
Mr. Kamau wants to be recognized as the original innovator and developer of the system and is willing to work with the Ministry to implement the system. He says proper recognition and professional engagement will protect innovation and accountability in Kenya’s education technology space.
As of the time of publishing, the Ministry of Education has not responded to the allegations.
Former JKUAT Student Claims 11.4B Intellectual Property Theft in Ministry of Education’s NEMIS Project.
