It's time for Victorian Schools to register for CensusAtSchool, 2005

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MEDIA RELEASE

November 29, 2005
Embargoed 11:30am (AEST)
C22/2005

It's time for Victorian Schools to register for CensusAtSchool

Now is an ideal time for Victorian schools to sign up to CensusAtSchool.

The CensusAtSchool program, which will involve students from Years 5 to 12, is free, voluntary and open to all Australian schools.

In early October Principals from schools across Australia received a CensusAtSchool Introduction Pack containing a registration form. The first phase of the CensusAtSchool program begins in January, but registration is open now.

Already over 250 Victorian schools have signed up to the program.

CensusAtSchool has been organised by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and has the strong backing of both public and private educational bodies in all States and Territories. The program is designed to show that the study of statistics can be fun as well as educational.

No individual will be able to be identified in the program and the strictest privacy measures and Internet security will be in place.

As its name implies, CensusAtSchool basically involves students from around the country taking part in their own census.

This will be done in two phases, starting next year. The first phase, from 30 January 2006 to 7 July 2006, is the questionnaire stage. The questionnaire is filled out online at the ABS CensusAtSchool website.

As with the nation-wide Census, students answer a set of questions about themselves. The questions are non-intrusive and deal with such things as height, what a student had for breakfast, favourite music and the like.

On 7 July 2006 the questionnaire stage will close and on 11 July the second phase, the data usage phase, will begin.

In this phase the students, under the direction of their teachers, will tap into the statistical resource that has been built up through the questionnaire for use in school activities. Activities will also be provided on the ABS website.

For more information about CensusAtSchool and how to register go to the ABS website at www.abs.gov.au and click on the CensusAtSchool link, or ring 1800 623 273.