OBJECTIVES OF FASTDAM
FASTDAM was created to achieve the following objectives:
To enhance awareness of the importance of statistics and data management in the development process.
To enhance knowledge in statistics and data management through training and capacity building.
To contribute in applying statistics and data management tools when need be to foster research and development.
To provide the population with statistics and parameters on developmental, social and economic trends.
To collaborate with other organizations and institutions to carry out meaningful researches to understand and explain social phenomena and develop appropriate models that can help to resolve the problems, vulgarize the models and collaborate in their implementation.
To raise awareness on the interrelatedness of subjects and self-discipline in personal development as good statistician. For instance we should have a good base in mathematics which is a major subject that develops in us the sense of logical and systematic reasoning, general knowledge to be able to bridge mathematics and conceptual requirements in various field, essay writing that develops in us the analytical and summary skills necessary in conceptual analysis and report writing, computer knowledge to be able to use statistical software, language to be able to communicate and write reports, research methods to be able to design and implement research protocol, Word Processing and PowerPoint skills to be able to write and present reports. That is the reason why someone who during his training was exposed to a wider range of subjects (mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, geography, environmental sciences, economics, law, social sciences or philosophy, language study and more) with good understanding of mathematics, satisfactory conceptual and analytical ability, open-minded with a strong backing in general knowledge stands a better chance to be a good statistician than a pure mathematician. This may justify why environmental and agricultural engineering schools are known to produce good statisticians because their programs generally cover a broader range of subjects as compared to other fields.