Census training officially suspended

“We have suspended training because we need to make sure that all enumerators meet the criterion that we have set and that criterion meets regional and international best practices,” he said.
The minister said to be an enumerator, one had to have at least a tertiary level qualification and other personal attributes to handle the private information that would be gathered.
He said the suspension will not affect the quality of training, adding that Zimbabwe already had qualified people who have handled the process before.
“It is not the number of days that are needed on training, it is the quality of training. We have a lot of qualified personnel and most of them have been doing it for years and have experience that is why most of them have been taken from the education sector because they have done these things before.”
He said census was a technical process that had no room for political parties, civic groups or anyone pursuing any other agenda.
“The army has always been part of national process. All the security services will have a role to play in protecting the enumerators.
“Secondly, they have a role to play in their designated areas. There are areas we do not send civilians to work like police camps. But still those we will take will also have to meet our requirements,” he said.
The training of enumerators was supposed to start on Monday, but was suspended after scores of civil servants wishing to participate thronged the training centres resulting in disturbances.
Meanwhile, Minister Moyo has urged donors to support the programme saying Government resources were constrained.
“As a country, we have had serious challenges when it comes to budgets and it is no secret. Government is doing its best and we are appealing to our partners to support the programme. We have had pledges from our partners and we hope they will own up to their promises,” he said.
At least US$37 million is required for the census and Government had mobilised US$22 million leaving a shortfall of US$15 million although donors have pledged to cover the shortfall.