Indramayu – In an ongoing effort to strengthen the data foundation at the village level, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Indramayu Regency has successfully conducted a Statistical Agent Training for Villages. The event, held on September 17, 2024, at the Office of the Communications and Informatics Service of Indramayu Regency, is part of a strategic program aimed at enhancing the capacity for managing and collecting accurate and reliable data at the village level.
The training was attended by four statistical agents and representatives from several departments, including the Department of Community and Village Empowerment (DPMD), the Communications and Informatics Service (DISKOMINFO), and the Regional Development Planning Agency (BAPPEDA). Participants were given an in-depth understanding of the importance of representative data and the appropriate techniques for data collection and processing according to correct statistical norms.
Akhmad Sugandi and Mariyah Khifdiyah, statisticians from BPS of Indramayu Regency, emphasized the importance of data integrity in decision-making at the village level. "We equip the agents with skills not only to collect but also to interpret data so that it becomes useful information for village development," Sugandi said. They also provided practical training on using Microsoft Excel for data processing, which included data validation techniques to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Furthermore, this interactive session explored innovative ways to overcome challenges often faced during field data collection, such as geographical condition variability and limited access to technology. "This training is highly relevant, especially since we often face technical and non-technical obstacles in the field," revealed Hargo Prastyo, one of the statistical agents from Kenanga Village, Sindang District.
With this training, it is hoped that village statistical agents will be more effective in collecting data that will not only improve the quality of local statistical data but also assist in designing more informed public policies at the village level. "It is crucial for us to ensure that every development program we design is based on solid data and not haphazardly put together," Mariyah Khifdiyah said about the ultimate goal of this training.
Highlighting the importance of managing statistical data at the government level closest to the community, it is hoped that programs like this can be expanded to include more villages in Indramayu Regency and potentially be applied in other villages as a successful model for village data management.
