The National Sports Institute (NSI) through its Sports Information & Information Technology (SIIT) section conducted its first training for the year 2022 on the PNG Sports Foundation (PNGSF) Online Database system. The NSI is a division of the PNGSF based in Goroka, EHP. This software was developed by this section to capture and house all the data from all sports training or workshops conducted by the organisation in all centres.

In brief, the rudiment database system was created back in 2008 on a simple Excel spreadsheet. By 2010, data collected up to that year were migrated onto Access. Over the years, the database did not improve or serve its purpose as we faced challanges in freighting raw data to NSI given the region’s geographical locations, and the database was somewhat isolated as there was only one or two data entry officers designated to that database at NSI. 

PNSGF saw the need to give current and real-time data to its stakeholders in terms of Sport Programs conducted right around the country. Hence this development by NSI’s IT Manager to capture these data. A total of 19 staff are in attendance at this training. 5 from Lae, 1 from Kokopo, 1 from AROB, and the rest from NSI. The purpose of the training is to introduce this Online Database software to all regional program staff; to appreciate the forms necessary to generate the right data; and, to access and input data from anywhere at anytime as long as they have internet connectivity. With the use of technology, any PNGSF program staff with granted access can enter data immediately after their training from any locality. Once the data is inputed, reports can be generated accordingly and provided as and when data is needed. For example, a report may be requested for how many programs conducted in the EHP by PNGSF; how many people trained in a certain program in a year; and/or how much a particular program costed in any given year. 

Director NSI thanked all those who were able to travel to attend this important three-day workshop. She stressed again on the importance using the correct forms to enter correct and factal data only. Limited access may be granted due to the security of the data. This same training will later be conducted for PNGSF staff in Port Moresby.  

Director of NSI, MS Janet Gimots