Census 2022 will be driven by ICT− Chief Statistician

The Bureau of Statistics will be utilising Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for the 2022 census, set to commence on Thursday, September 15.

This year’s census focuses on the gathering of social, economic, and demographic information about the population with the incorporation of technology to gather those data.

The last census done in 2012 used the paper-assisted personal interview approach (PAPI), a system found to be too time-consuming.

Chief Statistician, Errol La Cruez said there has been a shift in the method of conducting the census due to technological advancements. Data for this year will be collected using a hybrid approach, with a computer-based system on tablets and a paper-based visitation record to ensure accuracy.

‘This census also marks the use of information and communication technology and advancement that would allow for the timelier and more accurate, compilation of census data,’ La Cruez said at the official launch on Wednesday.  

The bureau has introduced computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) to enumerate persons in the 2022 census. In the CAPI approach, electronic devices are used for data collection and the enumerator uses the device to input responses from interviewees.

The new system being used will improve the accuracy and efficiency of the enumeration process. The system will also allow information recorded to be accessed in real-time.

A questionnaire will be used to gather information on households, while the visitation record will be used to collect geographical data on the landscape of buildings. The data collection tool being used is called Server123 and will be installed on tablets carried by the enumerators.

Guyana will receive an updated population count following the completion of the census, which was officially launched at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Wednesday. 

President, Dr Irfaan Ali who delivered the feature address said, “It is critical for policymakers and for us all to ensure we build our future on the right platform based on data that is collected in a timely, reliable, efficient way.”

Data from the last census in 2012 showed Guyana’s population at 746,955. The data gathered at that census was used to meet the needs of the population; however, that data may not be appropriate for use today as the country has gone through many changes over the years.