Full Project – USE OF COMPUTERS IN RECORD MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Staff and students in some universities in Nigeria are occasionally discouraged, perturbed, and dissatisfied as a result of delays in receiving needed information, inconsistency, redundancy, and inaccuracy of data, lack of sufficient storage facility to maintain accurate records of both staff and students, and incapacity of the various universities to deal with the enormous amount of data that are produced annually Use of Computers in record involve the digital storage, retrieval and use of information. More precisely, it is “the application of systematic and scientific control to all the recorded information that an organization needs to do business.” (Igwoku, 2008).

Poor Use of Computers in record management results in difficulties in administering, planning and monitoring an education system. In fact, poor records management and the lack of staff development along the entire information cycle are responsible for problems with management and policy implementation in schools and ministries of education. In records management, the guiding principle is that information must be readily available at the prerequisite time and in the form it is required.

A record is defined as a documented proof of a transaction which can refer to any activity which falls within the normal routine of an organization. Schools have the task of teaching and providing a learning environment. In so doing, teachers and other members of staff are employed, materials are acquired, students are admitted, tested, examined and so forth. Records are very pertinent for administrative effectiveness in any organization. Records are information or data on a particular subject or activity collected or preserved for future use.(Weggant, 2005).

Records, therefore are an important means of accountability because they provide proof. For example, there are instances when a school has to ask for certain facilities from the Ministry or any other funding organization. Unless the school can show that it does not have adequate facilities or that it has admitted more students, it is difficult for the funding organization to justify sending any of the requested items.(Igwoku, 2008).

Records management involves the storage, retrieval and use of information. More precisely, it is the application of systematic and scientific control to all the recorded information that an organization needs to do business. Records management is important in administering, planning and monitoring the education system.

A record keeping is essential in all organized offices. This is because all organizations, including the Universities depend on information for their decision making and service delivery.

In recent times, continuous technological changes in all facets of human endeavour, have drastically changed the methods of records-keeping in Nigerian Universities. The records of an organization such as the university system constitutes her corporate memory which supplement human memory as well as guide the effective planning, and decision making (Fasasi, 2004). Accurate and good records keeping are the bedrock of planning in Nigerian universities setting (Popoola, 2000). According to him, if there is no information, the office management will be crippled in its ability to plan and make decision. Furthermore, Durosaro (2002) noted that records keeping help in the effective planning and administration of a university. This is because records keeping play an important role in effective and efficient management of universities. It helps in the planning and implementation of appropriate course of actions, allowing proper monitoring of activities or tasks.

Management of Nigerian universitiess refers to a process of making use of the available resources towards the achievement of an education goal at Nigerian universities level. Akube (1991) in his contribution noted that records keeping is meant to enhance the performance of tertiary institutions’ administration. Adequate records management coordinates and protects institutions records, sharpens the effectiveness of the records and helps to simplify intra organizational and communication problems.

Asogwa (2004) opined that records of data generated in the course of execution of legitimate function of an institution should be kept and managed properly. A well organized records keeping saves a lot of money for the management. It helps to control the quality and quantity of information that is created. This is important because information can be maintained in way that effectively serves the need of the organization and any information that are no longer necessary can be disposed of efficiently. Furthermore, Egwunyenga (2005) noted that proper record keeping by office managers are constrained due to insufficient skills by office managers, lack of infrastructure, problem of storage, poor supervision and poor records management programme in Nigerian Universities.

Thus, management of school records becomes an issue of great concern to stakeholders in education. Thus, in the face of the aforementioned challenges it is pertinent to determine the impact of records keeping of office managers’ efficiency in Nigerian Universities.

Statement of the Problem

Despite the importance of school Use of Computers in record in the achievement of educational objectives, these records do not seem to be adequately managed by institution management. As notedby Ugwunze (1992) these records are poorly kept and managed by office managers. From observation, it becomes obvious that accurate, reliable and trustworthy records that fulfill evidential requirements are being created but not properly managed.

Egwunyenga (2009) emphasized that record management practice in Nigeria has a number of problems which may include insufficient skilled and experienced record management personnel and possibly low priority of record management in the scheme of things. Thus, management of school records become an issue of great concern to education stakeholders, parents, students, individuals, government and non-governmental organization.

Much management complains of the shortage of trained personnel, funds and material resources. These could possibly have serious connotations on management of school records by those in charge of institution management..

Incidentally, there are many problems which are emanating within the educational institutions. For instance, problems such as examination malpractices, poor academic performance, moral decadence and other forms of deviant behaviour, are of regular occurrence in the institutions. As the problems occur they constitute impediments to the achievement of educational objectives.

Staff and students in Nigerian universities are concerned about the problems associated with the manual system of record-keeping. For example, students seeking their academic transcripts, results, NYSC call up letters, and certificates may not receive them on time. If all these deficiencies are not detected and corrected, the University may have failed to fulfill its obligations and provide adequate services to its citizens. This study focuses on the issues that plagued the conventional way of record keeping in Nigerian universities in order to determine the root causes and appropriate solutions. In addition, this study will highlight the advantages and disadvantages of using computers for record keeping.

Purpose of the Study

The study examines Use of computers in record management in Nigerian universities. Specifically, the study aims:

To ascertain if the provision of electronic devices affect students record keeping in Nigerian universities.
To examine the extent to which electronic storage will influence students’ record keeping.
To examine the extent to which electronic processing will influence students’ record keeping in Nigerian universities.
To determine how the challenges of Computer record affects student record keeping.

Research Questions

In assessing the purpose of the study, this research project will answer the following questions:

How would the provision of electronic devices affect students’ record keeping in Nigerian universities?
To what extent would electronic storage influence students’ record keeping?
To what extent does electronic processing influence students’ record keeping in Nigerian universities?
Does the challenges of Computer record affects student record keeping?

Research Hypotheses

In carrying out this research work the following theoretical statements are buttressed to serve as a direction on which the work will be premised: Use of computers in record management in Nigerian universities

There is no significant relationship between Computer record and provision of electronic devices and students’ record keeping.
Financing of Computer record will not improve the education standard in Nigerian universities.
Electronic processing will not influence students’ record keeping in Nigerian universities.
The challenges of Computer record does not affect students record keeping in Nigerian universities.

Scope of the Study

The study focused on Computer record (storage, processing, provision, retrieval) in Nigerian universities. Selected Nigerian universities in Nigeria was used as case study. The study is limited to two Universities namely, UNILAG and OAU.

Significance of the Study

The Ministry may use the study to understand the effect of Computer record (storage, processing, provision, retrieval) and school administrative effectiveness and as result focus more attention on management of staff and their stability or retention in a teaching profession.

It will enable both public and private higher institution to be able to plan systematically for Computer record usage in their institution. Other stakeholders of education (parents, students, lecturers, support staff, donors, will use the study as a checkpoint to act as a safeguard against any future happenings of the same nature.

The study helps academics to reduce the use of files which are archaic thereby reducing storage space. Using files could lead to loss of vital information about the staff or students through mutilation, easy and unauthorized access of files and misplacement of important documents. This can be prevented through storage of information in diskettes, hard disks and back-ups of important information.

Definition of Terms

Computer record keeping: This is an act or process of creating and maintaining information; archiving data etc through electronic means.

Electronic Devices: This is a piece of electronic equipment, such as a laptop computer or a mobile phone that is small and easy to carry.

Data Processing: the carrying out of operations on data, especially by a computer, to retrieve, transform, or classify information.

Storage Device: This is a piece of computer equipment on which information can be stored.

Computer: A computer is a digital electronic machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations automatically. Modern computers can perform generic sets of operations known as programs. These programs enable computers to perform a wide range of tasks.

Record management: Records management, also known as records and information management, is an organizational function devoted to the management of information in an organization throughout its life cycle, from the time of creation or receipt to its eventual disposition.

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Full Project – USE OF COMPUTERS IN RECORD MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

Full Project – USE OF COMPUTERS IN RECORD MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

Full Project – USE OF COMPUTERS IN RECORD MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

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