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1. Project Planning and Management2. Geospatial Mapping and EA Database3. Enumeration Instruments and Tools4. Data Capture and Management5. Census Testing and Pilots6. Recruitment and Training7. Deployment and Supervision8. Enumeration and Logistics9. Quality Assurance and Risk Management10. Census Analysis and Products11. Partnerships and Collaboration12. Advocacy and Publicity13. Procurement and Financial Management14. Post-Enumeration Survey15. Alternative Approaches16. Planning Checklist
Case Studies▶
1. Project Planning and Management2. Geospatial Mapping3. Enumeration Instruments4. Data Capture5. Census Testing6. Recruitment and Training7. Deployment and Supervision8. Enumeration and Logistics9. Quality Assurance10. Census Analysis11. Partnerships12. Advocacy13. Procurement14. Post-Enumeration Survey15. Alternative Approaches16. Planning Checklist
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Introduction​

Carrying out census field enumeration will require many personnel who cannot be raised from the National Statistics Office (NSO) employees alone. Thousands of people will have to be engaged for a short period of time, in various roles such as enumerators, supervisors, and IT support staff. These short-term staff may have limited experience in statistical operations. Therefore, it is crucial that sufficient training is undertaken so that all personnel fully understand their duties, how their efforts fit into overall census goals, and their obligations with regards to confidentiality, security and accuracy of data.

Recruitment and training of field staff during the non-digital vs digital era​

In a digital census, additional personnel will be required to handle the Information and Communications Technology (ICT)component. This will include a team to undertake data quality checks, and a team to provide Information and Technology (IT) support to the supervisors and enumerators including trouble shooting of both hardware and software IT issues.

The effective use of digital tools in a census necessitates a workforce of IT-literate enumerators. Enumerators must possess a range of digital skills, including:

  • Proficiency in using tablets or other data collection devices.
  • Navigating data collection applications - Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI).
  • Understanding data security protocols.
  • Basic troubleshooting.

Comprehensive training programs are essential to equip enumerators with these skills and ensure they are comfortable using the technology. Employing IT-literate enumerators contributes significantly to data quality by:

  • Reducing errors in data collection and entry.
  • Ensuring accurate and complete data capture.
  • Adhering to data collection protocols and standards

Whilst it can be challenging to recruit sufficient numbers of field staff with good IT skills, supervisors should be IT literate and enumerators should at least have experience of using smartphones. Training will differ from a non-digital census in that additional efforts will be required to train the census personnel on using the CAPI application. This may include basic IT skills, security of the device and data held within, navigation and use of the various tablet/phone applications and digital map reading. It is therefore essential that training is planned to incorporate practical sessions on the use of the CAPI devices.

An automated e-recruitment system may be used for recruitment of enumerators and other temporary staff, for example enabling candidates to apply, carry out initial sifting and complete tests online (see Botswana for an example of carrying out online recruitment tests). Essential information such as identification numbers and banking details can also be collected via the e-recruitment system.

Adequate testing and piloting of the e-recruitment approach should be carried out and the following factors must be considered:

  • Capacity of the ICT infrastructure to handle millions of applications, with peaks expected to occur as deadlines approach
  • Nationwide network coverage
  • Experience in using, and ability to access the e-recruitment system
  • How to recruit in areas that lack network coverage
  • How to provide adequate information about the recruitment campaign in all areas of the country

The main advantage of using e-recruitment is the time saved. For example, if tests are automatically graded, the results can be shown instantly after finishing the assessment. Experience from countries using e-recruitment shows that setting up an online assessment for 1,000 people took almost the same amount of effort as to set up a manual assessment for ten people. There are also reduced costs relating to printing of test papers as well as costs for purchasing printing paper, toner, time taken to print, manpower/resource personnel, binding etc. The assessments are more secure and there are less exam malpractices because there were fewer chances of leaks since there were no physical papers that could go missing during the printing and logistics processes. See Tanzania for a comprehensive example of a successful implementation of an e-recruitment system.

Training can be carried out online or in a hybrid fashion with a mixture of online and in-person training sessions. Countries who carried out their training during the COVID-19 pandemic often found innovative ways of carrying out more online training. Depending on how online training is delivered, this can have advantages in that the same training can be delivered to many people at the same time, improving consistency and reducing costs. However, online training may not be perceived as being as thorough as face-to-face training, and it is important to ensure that the quality of the training is maintained. Note that there is a difference between online virtual training which is similar to teacher-led classroom training but delivered over Zoom or a similar online platform, and e-learning whereby students self-study pre-prepared modules. Most African countries used online virtual training but had issues with engagement and assessment using this mode. However, see England and Wales  for an example of e-learning which could be applied as part of a hybrid training model in the African context for delivery of standard training modules which could be completed prior to the commencement of face-to-face classroom training.

Considerations for recruitment and training of field staff for a digital census​

Prior to embarking on recruitment, calculate the number of required census personnel who need to be recruited by role and geographic region. It is sensible to recruit and train sufficient reserves of people, to take care of any attrition that may occur in the process (UN P&R, Rev 4, para 2.213). In the 2020 round, according to the survey completed at the 2024 Expert Group Meeting of African Census Managers, the average number of enumerators recruited was 1.15 enumerators for every estimation area. The number of reserves recruited varied from 0% to 5%. The modal number of enumerators per supervisor was 5, and the median number of enumerators per supervisor was 6.5. Some countries reported a much higher number of enumerators per supervisor, with the range being 2 to 227, however this large range may be due to differences in definitions of roles. See also Geospatial mapping and Enumeration Area (EA) database management and pre-enumeration listing of households for more information on defining EA boundaries.

Decide whether your recruitment campaign will be carried out manually using written applications, manual sifting, testing and interviewing; or whether you can make use of online interviews and applications and an e-recruitment system that can automatically sift applications and grade applicants’ tests. Consider which approach best fits your country – all e-recruitment or a blended approach?

During the job advertisement campaign, a clear communication and publicity programme should be in place to attract suitably qualified personnel. Consider which digital platforms you can leverage to widen the reach of the campaign. However, also consider how to get your message to those from hard-to-reach areas, especially areas without good network coverage.

During recruitment, consider the place of residence and language(s) spoken by the applicants. Preferably, enumerators should be residents from the EA in which they will work. This makes logistics and administration easier and generally leads to good reception of enumerators during the field work. (UN P&R, Rev 4, para. 2.211–2.221, para. 3.26). The capability of the field personnel to use the devices and technology needs to be evaluated prior to deployment. What is your contingency strategy if you cannot recruit enough computer literate enumerators in some areas?

Some roles, such as supervisors, may be filled through direct appointment by people from special groups, for example schoolteachers. This should ensure that supervisors have both local knowledge and good levels of literacy and computer literacy.

Training may be carried out in-person or online or in a hybrid manner that makes use of both in-person and online sessions. (UN P&R, Rev 4, para. 2.215.)