XN000022-1980-11-25 — Page 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1980

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TRAINING STARTS FOR CENSUS ENUMERATORS

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PREPARATIONS FOR THE 1981 POPULATION CENSUS HAVE PROGRESSED FURTHER WITH THE TRAINING OF ENUMERATORS BEGINNING LAST (MONDAY) EVENING.

SOME 15 000 TRAINEES FOR ENUMERATORS, SELECTED FROM SENIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS, WILL UNDERGO A ONE-WEEK EVENING TRAINING COURSE STAGGERED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 24 AND DECEMBER 12.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT SAID THE TRAINING COURSES WERE ARRANGED IN SOME 40 SCHOOL CENTRES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES. PARTICIPANTS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO ATTEND CLASSES IN CENTRES AS CLOSE TO THE IR RESIDENCE AS POSSIBLE.

THE COURSE COVERS ALL ASPECTS OF THE CENSUS INCLUDING THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONTENTS, ENUMERATION PROCEDURES AND INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES. SPECIAL EMPHASIS IS PUT ON COLLECTING GOOD QUALITY CENSUS DATA.

+A NEW FEATURE OF THE COURSE IS THE USE OF AUDIO-VISUAL AIDS TO STANDARDIZE TRAINING. A NINE-EPISODE INSTRUCTION FILM HAS BEEN PRODUCED FOR VIEWING IN CLASSES TO HELP TRAINEES UNDERSTAND THE COURSE CONTENTS BETTER, HE SAID.

AT THE END OF THE COURSE, PARTICIPANTS WILL SIT FOR A TEST AND APPOINTMENT AS ENUMERATORS IS BASED ON THE TEST RESULTS. ENUMERATORS WILL RECEIVE A TRAINING BONUS FOR PASSING THE TEST AND AN HONORARIUM OF $600 FOR THEIR SERVICE DURING THE CENSUS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE TRAINING COURSES WOULD BE CONDUCTED BY CHIEF ENUMERATORS WHO ARE TEACHERS OR POST-SECONDARY COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND WHO THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY TRAINED IN THE CENSUS OPERATION.

SOME 800 CHIEF ENUMERATORS, 1 600 FIELD EDITORS AND 11 000 ENUMERATORS WILL BE ENGAGED IN THE 1981 POPULATION CENSUS, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE DURING FEBRUARY 1 TO 4 FOR THE MARINE POPULATION, AND DURING MARCH 6 TO 15 FOR THE LAND POPULATION.

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