Census @ school is an international education project focusing on data handling in which learners gather basic information about themselves. In South Africa, the Census @ school project was initiated for the first time in 2001 by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) in collaboration with the Department of Education. A pilot study was conducted in July 2001. The project was officially launched in Cape Town on 18 September 2001, by the Ministers of Finance and Education. The main Census @ school count was conducted between September and October 2001.

In 2009, the project was launched in Gauteng on 23 March 2009. The survey for the project was undertaken nationally in all provinces at selected schools from March to May. The results of the project will be presented at the International Statistics Institute Conference to be held in August 2009. The project targets learners from Grades 3 to 12 to participate in data gathering, handling and analysis. The information gathered will be included in both a national and international database. These databases serve as resource for teachers and learners for the teaching and learning of data handling and statistical literacy relating to a variety of subjects and learning areas. The international database provides opportunities for comparison across participating countries.

Within Stats SA, Census @ school will play an increasingly important role towards the organisation’s goal of building statistical capacity and promoting statistical literacy. Stats SA is committed to building not only the statistical capacity and literacy within the organisation, but also that of other government departments, the private sector, within schools and the public as a whole.