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.
