1. Maintaining Traditional Methods of Data Processingthe Case of Mozambique´s Census 2007by Tomás Bernardo (IT Expert /Deputy Director of Integration & Coordination)João Dias Loureiro (Survey Statistician/ President)National Institute of Statistics of Mozambique Best Practice & Exchanging Experience: Africa 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses

2. Road Map • INTRODUCTION • DATA PROCESSING STRATEGY • ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL DATA CAPTURE • FINAL REMARKS Best Practice & Exchanging Experience: Africa 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses

3. Introduction • The National Institute of Statistics (INE) of Mozambique conducted from 1-15 August 2007 its 3rd Population and Housing Census, after gaining experiences from a Pilot Census in 2006. • Data processing activities started with the devolpment of a Census tracking system. The system includes check-in of questionnaires, coding and data entry. • The preliminary counts of households, females, males and houses as well as the Post Enumeration Survey results were released on 23 November. Best Practice & Exchanging Experience: Africa 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses

4. Strategy (1) • The data processing strategy included decision making about data capture: • Traditional data entry (Keying) • Heads down keying (keying all data items as they are encountered with skip patterns or without it) • Interactive keying • Verification rate • Dependent verification (data entry operators key over data previously keyed by other staff. In case of key stroke discrepancies the software informs the operator who overrides the previous data or not). • Independent verification (data entry operators re-key the data from scratch. The two resulting files are compared to test for discrepancies). Best Practice & Exchanging Experience: Africa 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses

5. Strategy (2) • Non-traditional data entry (scanning) • Optical mark recognition • Optical character recognition • Intelligent character recognition • Physical quality of questionnaires • Speed of scanning • Environmental ranges (ideal temperature) for operating equipment. • Electrical power Best Practice & Exchanging Experience: Africa 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses

6. Advantages and Disadvantages Best Practice & Exchanging Experience: Africa 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses

7. Final Remarks • Based on the experiences (positive and negative) of other countries and our own past experience, INE decided to use the traditional data capture (keying). Some of the reasons for not using scanning included: • Planning and testing of the use of scanners not conducted well in advance; • Rigorous quality control procedures not implemented and tested; • Logistical problems and infrastructure. • INE does not rule out the possibility to use new technologies, provided the necessary expertise is available and testing is done properly. F.i. INE is using since 2001 scanning tech for CWIQ data entry Best Practice & Exchanging Experience: Africa 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses