There are surveys galore in this country anytime of the year. They reach their peak during election periods. Politicians would be flocking to survey companies to pay for all sorts of surveys. Mostly the kinds that will make them appear to be the expected winners in an upcoming election. Certainly, big money would change hands.
Some of such companies are blatantly for sale. As long as the price is right, They will manufacture the required data that would say the payor-politician would win by a landslide. The better survey companies with long developed reputations to protect would undertake honest to goodness surveys even if they are paid. Usually, the deal is, if the results are bad for the politicians who commissioned the survey, these will not be revealed to the public. The conventional reply when these are asked for would be, “Sorry, it is confidential.” But if the results are good, in a matter of hours these will be in the limelight in the social media and in the traditional media outfits. Press conferences would be held everywhere to achieve such purpose.
There is a current news about a supposed survey whose results were the bases to determine the best local politicians around. Since we do not know how the survey was supposed to have been undertaken, it is best not to believe the news. For all we know, the data used as its basis might have been manufactured.
Surveys are very useful for private purposes such as the ones undertaken by private companies as a research tool regarding their products already on the market or those still being planned to be manufactured and subsequently launched.
But regarding politicians or politics, for get about these. These should even be outlawed as the masses are not educated enough to discern what is credible and what is not. Usually, they would usually take the alleged results hook, line and sinker.
That is very revealing as to the quality of education being peddled around. It is one of the lousiest in the world. International surveys would support these.
The only remedy to this sad reality is to improve the kind of education being provided by all kinds of institutions. A good standard should be required from them. Not any Tom, Dick and Harry should be allowed to put up a school. Only those or their companies which have the qualifications and the ability to transmit high standard education should be allowed to.
Another important requirement is for politicians to be kept out from influencing the appointment of education officials. Educational merit and ability to dish out such must be the main bases for their appointment. Nothing else.**