ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s 2019 population census will be conducted in electronic format rather than the usual paper-based method, reported Forbes.kz.
Photo credit: alsat-m.tv.
Since its independence, Kazakhstan has conducted national censuses in 1999 and 2009. As the counts are completed at least once every ten years, the next tally is scheduled for November 2019. The online survey will occur Nov. 1–15 and interviewers with tablets will visit households Nov. 15–30.
Paper-based questionnaires are becoming increasingly obscure. The 2009 census cost the treasury 1.14 billion tenge (US$3.17 million), although only 379 million tenge (US$1.05 million) was allocated and properly spent. An investigation determined most of the funds were misappropriated by the census services, necessitating a shift towards a more transparent format. The electronic method will also make the procedure and processing its data much simpler.
The upcoming census promises to be easier for respondents either individually completing an online survey on the SANAQ-2019 website or assisted by specially trained interviewers.
Respondent registration involves inputting one’s individual identification number (IIN), identity document (ID) number, mobile phone number, code and confirmation password. The system will be available 24 hours a day and the option of selecting a convenient time to complete the survey should help improve the quality of the responses.
Interviewers will then continuously stop at households to collect data. Online respondents will simply need to confirm they completed the survey and information will be collected from the remaining individuals.
Safety was a key priority in designing the procedure. The more than 30,000 people involved in conducting the census will be dressed in a special uniform and carrying documents with a photo and seal to assure the legitimacy of their work.
The Kazakh Ministry of National Economy’s Committee on Statistics will also gather comprehensive information on foreigners who work or temporarily reside in the country. The questionnaire will include 45 queries, a greater number than in previous years.
“Additional questions have been added and some questions have been expanded. These cover migration issues such as ‘are there plans to leave the Republic of Kazakhstan to another country,’ employment issues and matrimonial issues on previous and current marriages,” said committee chief expert Zhanar Akhmetova.
The purpose of the census is to collect, process and disseminate information on the demographic, social and economic characteristics of Kazakhstan’s population at a certain point in time. Among other uses, census data are typically employed by government agencies in creating programmes aimed at socioeconomic development.
