TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR USE OF THE SEACMEQ DATA ARCHIVE
1.0 Introduction
The Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ) Co-ordinating Centre (SCC) has produced a data archive containing all information collected for SACMEQ’s first three educational policy research projects (SACMEQ I, SACMEQ II, and SACMEQ III). This archive is now available online on the SEACMEQ website so as to give bona fide researchers and students online access to SEACMEQ data and documents.
The SEACMEQ data sets have been developed at great cost and with the application of stringent quality controls. It is being made available to eligible users because it has a great potential to contribute to educational policy development beyond what has already been achieved in this respect through the reports written by the National Research Co-ordinators (NRCs) and Deputy National Research Coordinators (NRCs). It is expected that many researchers and students will wish to use the Data Archive for research, publications, and/or training purposes.
The Terms and Conditions serve two purposes. Firstly, they provide interested applicants with guidelines on how to access this valuable information resource. Secondly, they are intended to safeguard against the danger of users being unaware of the complexities of the data collection process and consequently arriving at misinterpretations that could lead to incorrect conclusions.
2.0 How can the user gain such access?
In order to obtain SEACMEQ Data Archive for any of the SEACMEQ school systems, the applicant should follow these steps:
2.1 Read and Agree to these “Terms and Conditions for the Use of the SEACMEQ Data Archive.”
2.2 Complete an online application form.
3.0 What rules govern the use of the SEACMEQ data archive?
3.1 The Data Archive is the outcome of expensive and time-consuming activities of the staff of the represented Ministries of Education spread over many years. For this reason, the SEACMEQ Ministries of Education described in the Data Archive should:
3.1.1 be notified by the SEACMEQ SCC of any request for data;
3.1.2 have an opportunity to review reports based on the data archive so as to correct any gross errors before they are published; and
3.1.3 satisfy themselves that the data have been used in such a manner that they contribute positively to the development of relevant education policies in relevant SEACMEQ member countries.
3.2 It is the National Research Coordinators (NRCs) and Deputy National Research
Coordinators (DNRCs) who have spearheaded the collection and compilation of SEACMEQ data. In acknowledgment of their efforts, the applicant(s) will be required to invite the relevant country’s National Research Coordinator to participate in the study associated with the use of the data. Where an individual other than the NRC or DNRC is co-opted, the relevant NRC and DNRC shall be given the first right of refusal.
3.3 This provision does not apply in situations where the SEACMEQ Data Archive is used purely for purposes of individual academic research by a student, and where the results are not intended for publication.
3.4 All relevant NRCs and DNRCs will be informed by the SCC about the recipients of the Data Archive.
3.5 SEACMEQ provides the SEACMEQ Data Archive to applicants on the basis of the intended use stated in the application. The applicant, therefore, should not use the data for any purpose other than the one stated in the application. Should the applicant(s) wish to use the data for a purpose other than that stated in the agreement, then he/she/they must first secure the written approval of SEACMEQ before he/she/they proceed to do so.
3.6 SEACMEQ data are provided for the sole and exclusive use of the applicant specified in the agreement. The successful applicant should, therefore, not share the SEACMEQ Data Archive with, or pass it on to, any other unauthorized person(s).
3.7 The authorized user shall take responsibility for the safe custody of the SEACMEQ Data Archive and also take reasonable steps to ensure that no unauthorized persons gain access to it.
3.8 The authorized user shall give due credit to SEACMEQ for providing the Data Archive by providing written acknowledgement of this in any publication emanating from their use.
3.9 As the Data Archive remains the property of the SEACMEQ, no other person(s), including the successful applicants or the member Ministry, shall re-distribute or offer for sale the SACMEQ Data Archive.
3.10 All reports based on the SEACMEQ Data Archive have to secure the written approval of the SCC prior to the publication in order to confirm compliance to our terms and conditions, and also to ensure that there is no misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the data.
3.11 Once authorization has been granted to access the archive, you will see a link on the website which will take you to the Data Archive.
3.12 All relevant NRCs will be informed by the SCC about the recipients of the SEACMEQ Data Archive.
3.13 Full acknowledgement of the source of the data (including reference to the SEACMEQ Data Archive) must be given whenever the data are used.
3.14 A copy of any published article or report based on the SEACMEQ Data Archive must be provided free of charge to (a) the SEACMEQ Co-ordinating Centre, and (b) the Ministry(ies) of Education from whose data the report has been generated.
