Next National Population Census Scheduled for 2020
Jakarta. Indonesia's Central Statistics Agency, or BPS, will conduct its next national census in 2020 as the country faces down challenges from an ever-increasing, and ever more mobile population, an official said on Wednesday (14/02).
BPS Head Suhariyanto said according to the agency's prediction Indonesia will have a total population of around 271 million in 2020. Most of them will be highly mobile, which will make their data harder to record and compile.
The last BPS census was conducted in 2010, which recorded a total of 237 million Indonesians, 57.5 percent of them living in Java.
"We will need a lot of money to do the next census, so we have to start preparing from now," Suhariyanto said in Jakarta.
The budget for the census is currently still being finalized by the BPS.
The agency will employ up to 1 million staff in the 2020 national census, with 800,000 of them sent to the field to collect data.
The BPS will use United Nations guidelines in the census and is receiving help from the Australian Central Statistics Agency to draft questionnaires.
The 2020 census will also be more high-tech, with the agency using Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) and Computer Assistance and Web Interviewing (CAWI) technologies to improve efficiency and cut down on lead time.
The agency will conduct a pilot project for the census in July in seven provinces: North Sumatra, South Sumatra, West Java, Jakarta, South Kalimantan, Maluku and Papua.
A census rehearsal will follow in 2019. The census proper will be conducted in June 2020.
The national census will collect all sorts of population data, including fertility, mortality and migration rates, to be used as references when the government makes new policies on population control, healthcare, housing, sanitation and education.
The census will also help government ministries and agencies create programs with sustainable development goals, Suhariyanto said.
Indonesia conducts its national census every 10 years due to budget constraints. Other countries, including neighboring country Australia, normally conduct a national census every five years.
The 2020 census will be the seventh conducted by the BPS.
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