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Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 14, 2019 (SKNIS): Students from the Washington Archibald and Verchilds High Schools in St. Kitts were, on Monday, October 14, 2019, given an education on the importance of statistics, as well as careers in the field.

Eleanor Melanson, Project Analyst in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Secretariat of Statistics Canada, told the students that statistics is about turning data into knowledge. She is currently in the Federation to partake in the Department of Statistics’ week of activities in observance of Caribbean Statistics Day on Tuesday, October 15.

“By using statistics, you can turn data into information. In order to make decisions on how you move forward, you have to look at statistics,” she said, while referencing surveys as an aspect of collecting data. “Surveys are one method of collection and we as statistical agencies… use them in order to gather information in every sector, be it agriculture, education or healthcare,” she added.

Students were quizzed on the topic and presented with tokens.

Ms. Melanson will be in St. Kitts-Nevis for two days to conduct several meetings aimed at assisting the Department of Statistics with collecting, compiling and reporting in SDG indicators.  During the school visits, she was supported by Loverly Anthony, Statistical Development Officer at the OECS Commission; Director of the Department of Statistics in St. Kitts, Carlton Phipps and other staff members of the department.

The presentation formed part of a week-long celebration for the observance of Caribbean Statistics Day slated for Tuesday, October 15. It will held under the theme “Building Resilience of the Caribbean Community.”

The Department of Statistics’ week of activities continues with Statistics Open Day on Tuesday, October 15 at the Ministry of Sustainable Development parking lot; Presentation to Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) Student with Best Results in Statistics on Friday, October 18 at CFBC, and Staff Retreat on Friday, October 25 at the St. Kitts Credit Union Conference Room.