Quality assurance in population and housing census
SUDAN’s EXPERIANCE in QUALITY assurance of Censuses
By salah El din. A . Magid
OUR EXPERIANCE IN 5 CENSUSES
1955-2008
Sudan's experience in censuses:
 The census is an important source for the provision of information to
know the general situation of the population and planning for
development in all its forms, economic and social.
 Sudan conducted five censuses in the period from 1955/56 to 2008
and planning to conduct the 6th census in 2018.
Sudan adopts four stages for the
implementation of censuses as follows:.
1) The Preparatory stage.
2) The actual count of the population.
3) Data processing and extraction of tables.
4) Data analysis and dissemination phase
The quality assurance program is adopted during these four stages,
from the start of the preparatory stage until the publication of the final
report
Quality assurance of census
 Quality assurance (QA) is a way of preventing mistakes or defects
and avoiding problems, in censuses management the quality
assurance is so important to provide a good data presenting the
situation in population.
Quality elements :
* Quality during the implementation of the census
phases
* Measurement of quality after implementation
Quality assurance of census
Quality assurance mechanisms for census 
operations
 The broad participation of stakeholders (governmental and
community organizations and international observers to ensure
transparency and prioritization of data required and quality
General structure of census:
 The higher committee of the population
census:

* Follow up the preparatory processes for census and followup performance until the census is successful.
* Reporting to the Presidency of the Republic on the progress
of the census.
* Raise the final result of the census for the presidency of the
Republic for approval.
General structure of census:
 The technical committee :
The main tasks of this committee were:
1) Review the plans, budgets and time plans for the
implementation of the census activities.
2) Reporting to the higher committee of the census.
3) Design and review all enumeration tools (such as census
forms, questionnaires and manuals) and develop technical
concepts and methods for conducting the census.
General structure of census Continue:

4) Technical monitoring of all census works, including preparation of
maps, collection and processing of data, and extraction of final
census results.
5) Ensuring that all phases are implemented with the highest
standards of accuracy required.
6) Raising the census results to the higher committee for approvl.
General structure of census Continue:
 Financial Committee
The most important tasks of the Committee are:
1. Ensure the flow of financial resources of the census
according to needs and according to census schedule.
2. Coordinate with donors to ensure donor flows of
resources flow according to plan.
3. Ratification of the needs of the census.
General structure of census Continue:
 continue:
4. Follow-up of disbursement and all financial transactions to ensure
that they are carried out according to sound bases and according to
the financial laws of the general auditor.
5. Periodic reports to the Higher committee on the financial
performance of the census.
General structure of census Continue:
 Media Committee for Census
The tasks of the Committee can be summarized as follows:
1. Develop the strategy of the media campaign for the census.
2. support all the media agencies in favor of the census
campaign.
3. Enlighten citizens about the census and attract citizen
support and cooperation with census workers.
4. To submit periodic performance reports on its work to the
Higher committee
General structure of census Continue:
 Monitoring and Follow-up Committee:
A committee that was created specifically for the fifth
census, which was never seen before in previous censuses
Tasks of the Committee:
1. Follow-up and monitoring the operational activities of
the census at all stages.
2. Ensure that the work conforms to the agreed
international standards.
3. Ensuring comprehensive coverage in the enumeration
process.
General structure of census Continue:
 Continue:
4. Ensure that transparency criteria are applied in each
step of the enumeration process.
5. Submit periodic reports, including recommendations,
when necessary, to the Higher committee.
6. Submit a final report on all stages of the census to the
Higher committee.
7. Provide written advice to the Higher committee when
necessary.
General structure of census Continue:
 Committee of Transport and Communications
Tasks of the Committee:
Among the most important tasks of the Committee:
1. Communicate with government agencies to provide vehicles for
various census purposes.
2. Providing rental vehicles to meet the needs of each state.
General structure of census Continue:
3. Providing the tankers through the transport room of the Employers'
Chamber to transfer the census equipment to and from the different
states.
4. Purchase containers to transport the census equipment in
particular forms to ensure their safety.
5. Secure census warehouses and census equipment between center
and states
General structure of census Continue:

States committees:
Functions of state committees:
1. The highest authority to conduct the census in the state.
2. Mobilize all state institutions, UN organizations and voluntary
organizations in the state to contribute to the census.
3. Ensuring that all stages of the census are carried out with the
required accuracy and according to agreed standards
Quality assurance of census
 Processing the geographical maps of the regions (states – localities,
administrative units and coding all units to ensure no overlap or double
counting and follow-up delivery of forms according to the pre-defined
coding to ensure the inclusion of all areas and avoid errors
 Adjustment of field operations through periodic reports of the work teams
and supervising committees at all central and state levels
 The Higher committee follows up and reviews quality assurance plans and
their implementation in partnership with a team of international
 Field review by selecting samples from the forms and checking them to
identify the types of errors and avoid them and generalize the experiment
among the other states
Quality assurance of census Data processing plans
 Reception of questionnaires according to the coding of geo – code
Manual
 Check the coding to make sure that all forms have been entered into
personal computers
 Logical review to ensure consistency of data
 Review the tables after extraction to verify their consistency
according to the analysis plans
Quality assurance of census Measurement
 use the demographic methods to ensure data quality such as
age Ratio, sex ratio, population pyramid, Myers and Weaple
index
 Data quality control mechanisms
 For accurate high-quality data, mechanisms and controls
have been put in place for working procedures at all stages
of the census:
 * Preparatory phase
 * Start-up phase of fieldwork
Quality elements
 First:-The most important control mechanisms in the
preparatory phase
 * Compliance with international recommendations
 * Meeting the needs of beneficiaries
 * Implementation of the pilot census and its
recommendations
Quality elements
 Second:-The most important control mechanisms in the field work and
data processing phase
 * Ensure that the census covers all geographical areas of the country
 * Updated maps for all counting areas
 * Distribution of tasks and responsibilities in the field to ensure the
interest of work
 * Field check of forms by the quality team
Quality elements
 * Evaluation of census data must ensure the accuracy and quality of census
data by:
 I. Assessing the comprehensiveness of census data

 II. Evaluation of the quality of the census
 * Internal data consistency check: Ensure that all counting areas and all
buildings, housing units, families and individuals are fully included and that
internal consistency is checked for each unit's data and the mechanism is to
extract the misstatements that must be corrected or the questionable data
and to work on their review by specialists and correct them if necessary.
 * External consistency check of data: External consistency checks are
conducted by comparing census data and indicators with previous census
data and indicators allowed common indicators
Quality elements
 * Field work phase:
 It is the most important and complex stage of the census work and
therefore the tests and assessments must be clear and this stage reflects
the success of the stages previous first so this stage must be evaluated in
itself and here we must make sure that the preparatory work has been
done through it:
Quality elements
 Quality in the package phase
 Safety of packet operations in terms of:
 1: Distributing the blocks correctly
 2: Commitment to living limits during packet operation
3: Distribution of roles between different functional levels during packet
operations
 4: Comprehensiveness of packet operations
 5: Dividing blocks correctly during packet operations
 6: Ensure that packages are available on a pre-prepared basis

Thank you…….