The training of National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) on grassroots data management entered its second day Thursday, with more than 300 officers drawn from Kericho County’s seven sub-counties focusing on data quality and the use of digital technology.
Mr Chris Otieno, a consultant working with the State Department for Planning, took the officers through the importance of data quality and the need to ensure that information collected at the grassroots level is fit for its intended purpose.
Mr Otieno identified accuracy, completeness, timeliness, consistency, relevance and accessibility as key attributes of quality data, noting that reliable information is essential in supporting effective planning and informed decision-making.
He highlighted the consequences of poor data quality, including identification of wrong beneficiaries, flawed plans, wastage of resources, legal exposure, erosion of public trust and failure of development programmes.
The officers were taken through the various stages at which data quality problems can arise, including design, collection, recording, transcription, aggregation, submission and storage.
Mr Otieno emphasised that identifying where data quality problems originate from is an important step towards preventing them, urging officers to apply quality-control measures throughout the data lifecycle.
The session also covered data validation, which involves checking collected information to confirm that it is correct, complete, logical and consistent before it is used or submitted.
Participants were introduced to methods of detecting data errors, including frequency distribution, outlier detection, completeness rates, inter-enumerator comparison, Benford’s Law checks and duplicate detection.
The officers were further sensitised on indicators that may point to fabricated or falsified data, including forms completed without household visits, suspiciously uniform information, identical handwriting patterns, unusually fast completion and missing records of refusals or absences.
The training also emphasised proper procedures for correcting errors, including preserving original records, verifying information against the source, documenting every change, obtaining authorisation and maintaining an audit trail.
Digital technology was also a key focus with officers taken through the use of digital gadgets, applications and systems to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, accuracy and reliability of data management.
The officers were also taken through digital readiness requirements, including access to devices, connectivity, staff capacity, platform access and support structures, in line with Kenya’s digital transformation agenda under the Kenya National Digital Master Plan 2022–2032.
The officers participated in a practical session on the use of a developed data-collection application, enabling the officers to gain hands-on experience in using the application and understand how digital technology can support the collection, management, validation and transmission of information.
The three-day training, organised by the State Department for Economic Planning, seeks to strengthen the capacity of NGAO officers to collect, validate, manage and utilise reliable grassroots data to support evidence-based planning, resource allocation and implementation of government programmes.
by Kibe Mburu
