DATA COLLECTION WITH INTERNET DEPARTMENT OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS SRI LANKA

Citizens’ devices which could send data through Internet and types of applications Desktop / Laptop / Tablet Web Application Tablet / Smart Phone Web/Mobile App

Households which has ability to access internet 576,365 Strength of Citizens, 2012 Households which has ability to access internet 576,365 Total Number of households 5,264,282 10.94% Source: Census of Population and Housing 2012 Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka

Overall Computer Literacy 28.3% Strength of Citizens, 2017 One out of every five households owns either a Desktop or a Laptop computer Overall Computer Literacy 28.3% Household population use internet 21.3% Household population use email 11.0% Source: Computer Literacy Statistics – 2017 (First six months) Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka ISSN 2012-6565

Fixed Broadband Subscriptions 1,220,504* Statistical Overview of the Telecommunication Sector as at the end of December 2017 Fixed Broadband Subscriptions 1,220,504* Mobile Broadband Subscriptions 4,682,300* Source: Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka * - Provisional http://www.trc.gov.lk/images/pdf/statis_q4201706032018a.pdf 2017 Mid Year population = 21.444 million

Readiness of Citizens: Suggested question for Census 2021 listing: If any of the members in the unit willing to provide information through internet and he/she have required facilities 1 – Yes 2 – No

eCensus - 2011 Past experience

Objectives: Collecting Census information from hard to reach  population who are living in luxury apartments in Colombo and its suburbs To test the method of Internet data collection that can be used in future Censuses/ Surveys

Selection: Houses that will take part in eCensus were  selected prior to the Census field enumeration Their consent was obtained to complete Census  information online

Support: Simple User Interface with easy navigation, Edit and Delete facilities. It provided free flow to ordinary users without considering the Navigational links User’s Manual (Printed and Electronic) Security Documentation (How to use secure channel) Instructions per question by a single click Call Centre with trained staff to motivate, assist and troubleshoot

Data validation: Client side and server side data validation Skips Online summaries with selected variables More than one question per screen

Software development: 100% usage of Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) It was not used any commercial or free software development Framework DCS developed its own framework from the ground which aims to adapt any Census or Survey. System for data collection was developed on top of the developed framework

Security: Used OpenSSL software library for secure communications ↓ The system was security assesed by Sir Lanka CERT (National Centre for Cyber Security) Hosting done with a leading Data Centre solution provider who has better security devices and to reduce equipment cost as well as DCS to focus on core business.

Conclusion: Better tool for collecting Census information from hard to reach population  Need of proper planning and capacity building Need of reliable internet facilities and have a culture of submitting data through Internet without any assistance of the government officer.