An Expert -Based System for Social Security Status Determination in Ethiopia: The Case of Ethiopian Social Security Authority (Essa)

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Date

2005-06

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

The objective of most social security scheme is to provide access to means of earning. Pension systems ease the retired, injured, incapacitated workers from the burden of labor when these workers productivity has fallen to a low level. Work injury schemes are the oldest and most widespread form of social security that are playing an increasingly important role in rehabilitating workers who fall victim. Similarly sickness benefits contribute to the recovery of sick workers by adjusting or removing the financial pressure on them to some extent while they are ill . Child benefits are other set of schemes that help to ensure the families with children have enough income to provide proper nutrition and a healthy living environment for their children.Social security programs III Ethiopia provide social security services Iii the form of pension. The major services focus on pension schemes such as , retirement age pension, invalidity pension, incapacity pension, and survivors' pension. However, in a country like Ethiopia, w here the fertility rate is optimal, and the number of civil servants working in public institutions is increasing alarmingly, the need for developing and strengthening social security programs are vital. Customers should be educated about the social security category status that they belongs to , and also get confined about the amount of one time or life long payments they deserve.In an attempt to address such problems, the present study, specifically, explores the potential of app lying Expert Systems Technology in determining social security status of the civil servants, considering the Ethiopian Social Security System as a case stud y. A prototype Expert system on Social Security Determination, (ExpSSD), is developed by exploring the existing expert know-how and existing procedures in decision making in the area of social security as source of knowledge.Modeling the knowledge acquired has been madhouse hierarchical structure that represents concepts and parameters involved in social security determination. Based on the model and using production rules , the knowledge has been represented . Using an expert system shell , know as, Knowledge Pro Gold, the rules were materialized to the prototype system. Back ward reasoning is used in inferring the rules and extracting results.The prototype system (ExpSSD) was validated and verified using some cases and proved correct when matched with the decisions made earlier by human experts. The experts participated in the testing of the system has also suggested that, the scope of the rules has to be broaden encapsulating largely the civil laws of the country.

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Information Science

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