Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing system to prepare official statistics

The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) provides various socio economic and demographic statistics to data users covering a wide spectrum from students, researchers to policymakers and international agencies. DCS produces statistics on regular basis from different sources, including censuses, surveys and administrative records. 

DCS is going to embark on a new project to complete data entry of sample surveys during the interview stage itself—using Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) system using tablet computers. CAPI enables interviewers use portable computers to enter data directly via a keyboard instead of collecting data on paper questionnaires. 

A communiqué issued by the Department announced that as the CAPI system enables simultaneously enumeration and data entry and sample surveys will eventually convert to paperless surveys resulting improving timeliness of official statistics remarkably. 

The new system was introduced at the kickoff ceremony on 28 April at 10 a.m. at Waters Edge, Battaramulla. Changsang Cho, Director General with several officials of Statistics Korea attended the kickoff ceremony. Dr. A.J. Satharasinghe, Director General with other officials of DCS and representatives from Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs, External Resources Department and Department of National Planning attended this event. Dr. Dilhari Attygalle, Head of the Department of Statistics, University of Colombo delivered the Keynote speech. The new system will be put in place with the Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey 2017 on pilot basis. This Project is assisted by the National Statistical Office of the Republic of Korea (KOSTAT). This project supports the DCS to strengthen the statistical capacity of Sri Lanka during 2014-2016. In 2014, statistical database management and service system (Lanka SIS) was established by the DCS with the assistance of KOSTAT. The Statistical training facility of the Department was strengthened by setting up two modern computer laboratories in 2015. Use of Information Communication Technology for the advancement of official statistics is the theme for 2016 component of this Project.