Multi Indicator Cluster Survey…
UNICEF gifts stats bureau $US150,000 in equipment, supplies

THE Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday received some $150,000USD ($31M GYD) worth of equipment and supplies for execution of the latest round of the Multi Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) in Guyana.

The handing over was done by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the Bureau of Statistics Main Street office.

Speaking at the handing over was UNICEF representative to Guyana and Suriname, Slyvie Fouet, who explained that the MICS is an, international exercise that is done every five years.

Fouet explained that the survey programme supports countries in the collection of internationally comparable data on a wide range of indicators on the situation of children and women.

Survey tools are based on the models and standards developed by the global MICS project, designed to collect information on the situation of children and women in countries around the world.

MICS surveys measure key indicators that allow countries to generate data for use in policies and programmes.

This year, the survey will be linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other internationally agreed commitments.

MICS data has been used for various types of indicators, including the internal evaluation of health and family life education, the assessment of budget expenditure, evaluation of nursery education; and studies on violence against children etc.

The UNICEF representative explained that the survey will be done at the household level and this year will be done with digital technology.

“Real-time data collection and analysis will be done at the Bureau of Statistics, the same day when data is collected… it is paperless and will save time,” Fouet stressed.
She further explained that Guyana is among the top three countries in the region to embark on this type of survey, which is aimed at helping to grow and embrace the new age.

The UNICEF representative explained that the equipment and supplies are worth $150,000 USD and 21 teams will be deployed to do the testing.

Facilitators will be brought from Panama and New York to aid in the training of the teams.
Meanwhile, Acting Deputy Chief Statistician of the Bureau of Statistics, Ian Manifold, explained that new technology will help to speed up the data-collection process.

He also disclosed that the MICS team will have identification badges and the logo.
The Guyana Bureau of Statistics (GBS) will be targeting 8,700 households for the sixth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) this year.

On August, 23, 2018, the government in collaboration with UNICEF, launched the sixth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).