Quality Assurance
in Population and
Housing Censuses
BY LANGTON CHIKEYA, ZIMBABWE NATIONAL
STATISTICS AGENCY
Presentation outline
Census process
Quality control of interview
Quality control of content
Quality control of coverage
Problems in Undertaking QA
Recommended Solutions
Census committees
NATIONAL CENSUS
COMMITTEE (CABINET)
INTER-MINISTERIAL TECHNICAL CENSUS COMMITTEE
(ITCC)
CARTOGRAPHY
LOGISTICS
HUMAN
RESOURCES
DATA
PROCESSING
Publicity &
Resource
mobilisation
Quality of census Processes
Questionnaire Design
Enumeration
Data processing
Dissemination.
Quality of census Processes
Preliminary report
National & Provincial Reports
Atlas
Thematic Reports
Quality of census processes
There were basically three procedures used to improve the coverage and
quality of the data:
• Quality control of interview
•Quality control of content
•Quality control of coverage
Quality control of interview
Ensure that all the persons in the exercise clearly understand the whole
operation, i.e Objectives, concepts and contents in the questionnaire
and field operations
Three Manuals were prepared that is;
◦ Enumerator Manual,
◦ Supervisor Manual and
◦ Training Manual
Quality control of interview cnt
EA Supervisor accompanied each enumerator at the beginning of the
enumeration exercise.
The supervisor recorded each mistake on the Supervisor’s Quality
Control Form.
Mistakes including both asking the questions incorrectly and errors in
recording the questions were highlighted to the enumerator.
Mistakes were correct whilst in the field.
Quality Control of Content
During and after enumeration, completed questionnaires were
checked for completeness and consistency.
During enumeration corrections were made on the spot
After the enumeration exercise all completed questionnaires were
checked and edited
A check list for quality control of completed questionnaires was
produced for checking internal inconsistency
Quality Control of Content cnt
If any inconsistencies arose which could not be corrected from the
information already given, the enumerator had to go back to the
household for clarification.
Quality Control of Coverage
The census was undertaken on the basis of complete enumeration
Unit of Enumeration (private and collective households)
Special arrangements for overnight travelers
Quality Control of Coverage
Spot checks on coverage.
◦ three ways were used to check coverage. These are:
A check household stickers
Observation of selected interviews
A cross check Between enumerated and mapping count.
Quality Control of Coverage cnt
There were three possible outcomes from cross checking:
◦ an undercount
◦ an over count.
◦ an acceptable result
If the differences between counts were too large a more detailed check to
determine whether an explanation for the differences or whether the
enumerator appeared to have made mistakes were undertaken.
Post Enumeration Survey
The post enumeration survey was preferred to demographic
techniques(for the 1st time)
census coverage errors and to enhance skills
level of coverage errors and not new estimate for the total population
Problems in undertaking QA
Some supervisors had challenges in calculating under counts and over
counts.
Field supervision by some district and enumeration area supervisors
was not done to satisfaction
Not all unused questionnaires were accounted for
The PES consultant that was hired had problems with such surveys
Recommendations to the
problems
There is need to strengthen quality assurance by setting up a
committee to oversee implementation of procedures.
In future it might be necessary to remove district level supervisors and
increase enumeration area supervisors.
There is need to tighten tracking of questionnaires before dispatching
them.
There is need to have a separate editing manual to be used at various
stages of census taking.
If consultants are to be hired, lets pick reputable persons
GOD
BLESS!