Stats SL, UNFPA Launch 10-Day Training for 2026 Census Master Trainers in Freetown
Sahid Bangura Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), in partnership with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), has launched a 10-day training workshop for census master trainers and data quality managers ahead of the country’s 2026 Population and Housing Census.
The training, which commenced in Freetown on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, is aimed at strengthening the capacity of personnel responsible for training census workers and ensuring the quality and consistency of data collected across the country.
With Census Night scheduled for December 1, 2026, and counting expected to begin on December 2, the workshop forms part of preparations to ensure that census personnel are adequately equipped to conduct the national exercise professionally and in accordance with approved procedures.
Speaking at the launch, Statistician General of Statistics Sierra Leone, Andrew Bob Johnny, said the quality of the national census would depend significantly on the quality of training provided to personnel ahead of the exercise.
He urged master trainers to develop a thorough understanding of census concepts, definitions, questions and procedures, stressing that they must apply uniform standards and avoid substituting personal interpretations for approved instructions.
Johnny identified mastery, consistency and professionalism as three key expectations for the trainers, noting that census personnel must treat respondents with respect, patience and impartiality while remaining sensitive to cultural differences.
He also highlighted the completion of national cartographic mapping as a major milestone, explaining that the exercise provides the geographical foundation for the census by identifying communities, localities and structures and dividing the country into manageable enumeration areas.
According to him, the mapping process will help determine where census personnel should operate, how responsibilities are assigned and how coverage is monitored.
UNFPA Sierra Leone reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Stats SL through technical assistance and quality assurance to help ensure that the census meets international standards.
The agency described master trainers and data quality managers as central to safeguarding the integrity of census data, noting that reliable population statistics are essential for national development planning, equitable resource allocation and monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Johnny also called on the media to continue informing the public about census preparations and encouraging communities to participate, emphasising that the exercise requires cooperation regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion or social status.
He assured the public that information collected during the census would remain confidential, secure and used for statistical purposes only.
The 2026 Population and Housing Census is expected to provide essential data to guide government policies, development programmes and resource allocation across Sierra Leone.