Monday 16 June 2014

U-reporter Enables RICNET to carry out action research about her sms platform

RIC-NET has been running sms platform since 2010 to send sms alerts, receive feedback on radio programmes, sensitize parents about their roles at schools,  sensitise citizens about their roles in the governance and electoral processes, provide weather information alerts, market information and preventive health alerts.

Every year RIC-NET sends out over 500,000 sms on these different issues to over 3,500 citizens in her database residents of Rwenzori region, therefore the organisation required a clear feedback on effectiveness of these sms in delivering the intended massage.
The organisation sample two District Kasese and Kabarole and send over 1,500 sms to users the following questions:
 1. Is SMS a useful way of informing parents on issues about their children at school? Yes/No, why?
2.       Have you or your parent ever taken action because of the SMS received about education from RIC-NET?

The results of these questions are as follows

836 people responded the first question and 510 responded to the 2nd question.

Out of 836 people, 497 disagreed with sms as effective channel for information to the parents with mostly giving reasons as most parents are illiterate, expensive to buy phones, not able to engage on phones. But this contradicted the fact the 836 out of 1,500 people had responded to the poll.


Responses based on Gender on 1st question

Sex
no
other
yes
Total
F
130
4
67
201
M
234
5
164
403
N/A
132
5
95
232
Total
496
14
326
836




It was observed that mostly people from Kasese responds to sms than Kabarole District.

Responses based on sex, category per district

Category
Sex
Kabarole
Kasese
Total

no
F
49
81
130

M
51
183
234

N/A
36
96
132

other
F
2
2
54

M
1
4
5

N/A
1
4
5

yes
F
27
40
67

M
49
115
164

N/A
21
74
95

Grand Total
237
599
836










Response on the 2nd question
 55%  (282 people out of  the 510) who responded to question 2 had taken action because of the our sms. This was positive compared to 33% who regarded sms as effective in sharing education information to parents.
This  can generally imply that, though only 326 people regard sms positive, at least  282 of these take action action.

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