BPS West Nusa Tenggara recruits 5,000 census officers for 2026 national economic survey
Mataram — The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) for West Nusa Tenggara will recruit 5,000 census officers to support the National Economic Census from 1 May to 31 July 2026.
BPS West Nusa Tenggara Head Wahyudin stated that this census would be conducted using a more comprehensive approach than previous efforts. All regions will be surveyed comprehensively without distinguishing between concentrated and non-concentrated areas, with collected data directly integrated into the system for real-time updates.
“Data collection is conducted comprehensively and results are directly connected to the system, so data updates can be carried out more quickly and accurately,” he said during a courtesy visit with West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, in a statement received in Mataram on Wednesday.
He stated that to support the census implementation, BPS West Nusa Tenggara would recruit approximately 5,000 officers from village communities and students. “The recruitment process is conducted openly through an official application, and involves recommendations from village governments to ensure officer quality and understanding of field conditions,” he said.
Meanwhile, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal emphasised the importance of accurate data as the foundation for formulating well-targeted development policies. Iqbal stressed that data quality is a determining factor in the success of development programmes, including efforts to reduce poverty rates.
“Data is the foundation. If the data is not accurate, then our policies are also potentially misguided. Therefore, I request that this data collection be conducted properly and involve local communities so that field context is not misinterpreted,” he asserted.
According to him, one lesson from previous data collection was the importance of presenting data that is not only statistically valid but also reflects the real conditions of society. Involvement of local personnel was considered important to minimise classification errors, including in determining poverty categories.
Additionally, he also highlighted the importance of public communication approaches in supporting successful census implementation. “We need to convey the importance of this census in a more grounded manner. It could be through storytelling or real cases, so that people understand why this data matters and want to participate actively,” he said.
Iqbal stated that the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government reaffirmed its commitment to supporting census implementation through issuing circular letters to district and city governments. This step was taken to strengthen socialisation and facilitate data collection implementation down to village level.
He also emphasised that updating accurate data would be an important basis for enhancing the effectiveness of development programmes in West Nusa Tenggara. “With better data, the policies we make going forward will be increasingly accurate, measurable, and truly felt by the community,” he said.