The government will allocate 20.4 million drams to create a sports management information system. The executive approved the relevant decision at today’s meeting.
“Reforming management in the sports sector cannot proceed without proper digitalization and the introduction of management information systems, which will also make sectoral policy evidence-based and data-driven,” Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan said while presenting the issue.
According to her, the government has consistently taken steps to develop sports, guided by Armenia’s 2024-2030 Strategy for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports.
The minister noted that there is currently no unified database or management information system operating in the sports sector. As a result, the information generated is often partial or incomplete or is not updated in a timely manner, negatively affecting the completeness and reliability of data. At the same time, excessive administration, time-consuming procedures and the predominance of paper-based documentation in data processing and exchange have reduced management efficiency, transparency and oversight.
“The introduction of an electronic management information system in the sports sector is urgent. The new system will ensure unified management, prompt access to data and increase the efficiency of sector management,” the minister emphasized, adding that the legislative amendments required to establish the system have already been made and the development of the program itself is now planned.
The new system will gradually become a unified registry for the sector. The data it contains will be used for statistical purposes, developing sectoral policies, substantiating decisions, financing processes, as well as monitoring and oversight.
The system will consist of three main components.
The first component will cover the digitalization of sports schools. It will make it possible to maintain precise statistics on children and young people engaged in sports and track their progress.
“Given that this system will be interconnected with the Education Management Information System, it will be possible to cross-check students’ data and attendance, also using data from the school system,” Andreasyan said.
The second component will cover the digitalization of data related to elite sports and the activities of sports federations. The system will make it possible to receive federation funding applications electronically and organize the financing process while increasing accountability and transparency.
The new system will also make athletes’ sporting trajectories visible. The collected data will be important for decision-making, including in terms of applying the military service deferment system.
“It will be possible to track very clearly and visibly how our national teams are formed and the indicators and results they achieve at world and European championships, as well as other competitions,” the minister said.
The third component will concern mass participation sports. This area will involve collecting information on indicators of physical activity among the public, including gym attendance.
The introduction of the sports management information system has already been discussed and approved at a meeting of the Information Systems Management Council.
