The School of Statistics and Planning (SSP)

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The School of Statistics and Planning (SSP)

• Makerere University

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Background

• The School of Statistics and Planning (SSP)
  formerly known as the Institute of Statistics and
  Applied Economics (ISAE) was established as an
  autonomous body within the legal framework of
  Makerere University in July 1969.
•  
• The ISAE was expected to provide facilities for
  the high level professional training in
  statistics and applied economics to meet the
  human resource needs of Uganda and other English
  speaking African countries in the context of the
  formulation and implementation of national plans
  for economic and social development.
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• Under the United Nations Statistical Training
  Programme for Africa (STPA) 1978-93 and the plan
  of the Coordinating Committee for Statistical
  Development (CASD), the ISAE was designated as
  one of the regional statistical training centres
  in the African region and was supported to
  spearhead professional training in official
  statistics for the English-speaking African
  countries. 

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Background

• When the STPA ceased, the ISAE maintained its
  regional character and indeed continued to
  provide training and advisory services to
  African English-speaking countries. The present
  core group of countries in this regional
  cooperation scheme include Uganda, Botswana,
  Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, South Africa,
  Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
•  
• This makes the SSP a regional statistical
  training centre. In addition, the SSP is a
  mainstream University unit.
•  
• Since 1969, the SSP has trained a total of over
  5000 statisticians, planners, applied economists
  and demographers from 21 African countries

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Departments

• The SSP has grown both in the scope and depth of
  its programmes and services and is currently
  organised into three departments , namely
• Department of Statistical Methods and Actuarial
  Sciences
• Department of Planning and Applied Statistics
  and the
• Department of Population Studies.
•  

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Training programmes

•  The SSP runs five undergraduate and ten
  post-graduate training programmes.
• All undergraduate programmes have a duration of
  three years.
• The post-graduate diploma programmes are run for
  one year and the masters degree programmes are
  run for two years.
• All Ph.D programmes take at least three and half
  years and a maximum of five years.

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Undergraduate programmes

•  
• Bachelor of Statistics
• Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science
• Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Economics
• Bachelor of Science in Population Studies
• 5. Bachelor of Business Statistics
•  

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Post-graduate programmes

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• Postgraduate Diploma in Demography
• Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics
• 3. Master of Statistics
• 4. Master of Science in Quantitative Economics
• 5. Master of Arts in Demography
• 6. Master of Arts in Population and
  Development
• 7. Master of Science in Population and
  Reproduction Health
• 8. Master of Science in Population Studies
• Ph.D in Population Studies
• Ph.D in Statistics 
•  

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Economic Statistics and National Accounts at the
undergraduate level

• At the undergraduate level, all students taking
  the Bachelor of Statistics degree programme take
  the following relevant courses
• Time Series and Index Numbers
• National Accounts and Income Analysis
• Industrial Statistics
• Energy Statistics
• PPP, External Trade and BoP Statistics
• Price Statistics
• Distributive Trade and Services Statistics
• Financial Statistics

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Economic Statistics and National Accounts at the
postgraduate level

• At the postgraduate level Economic Statistics and
  National Accounts is one of the areas of
  specialisation.
• Postgraduate diploma students take one course in
  Economic Statistics and National Accounts.
• Master of Statistics students take two courses
  and write a dissertation on a topic in Economic
  Statistics and National Accounts

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Short courses and workshops

• In addition to the above regular programmes, the
  SSP conducts from time to time short courses and
  workshops to meet specific skills needs of user
  countries.
•  

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Short term Courses in Economic Statistics and
National Accounts

• From time to time the SSP organizes a Regional
  Training Workshop Economic statistics and
  National Accounts.
• In 2008 the SSP organized a Sub regional training
  workshop on the computation and interpretation of
  PPPs which was attended by participants from 9
  countries.
•  
• In 2011 the SSP organized a Poverty and Social
  Statistics workshop which was attended by
  participants from 8 countries.

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Challenges

• Lack of space
• Lack of fellowhips
• Lack of training opportunities to potential
  trainees who lack or fail to meet the minimum
  entry requirements (standards)
• Lack of regular training needs analysis and
  updates.
• Inadequacy of equipment

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Needs

• Fellowships for trainers and trainees
• Research funds for trainers and trainees
• Development of training materials for the short
  courses
• Provision of visiting lecturers to offer courses
  in specialised areas and to fill gaps of
  traineers who may go for training.
• Funding for Seminars/ workshops/ short courses in
  priority areas.
• Curriculum review
• Training materials
• Equipment , Accessories etc.
• Computers
• LCD Projectors
• Software(including ) (renewal of licenses) if
  necessay.
• Text Books/e-books on Economic Statistics and
  National Accounts (list can be prepared later).

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Thank you !