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RECORDS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
For the effective administration of higher educational institutions in Nigeria, the challenges of the 21st century have placed a greater demand on administrators to intensity action in evolving efficient records management policies and procedures to function as self sustaining institutions just as business concerns and remain relevant through competition in this global era. In carrying out its core roles of teaching, learning, research and development of community higher educational institutions create and use various forms of records. The evolvement, adoption and use of proper records management policies and procedures could positively contribute to university’s accountability and good governance, capable of creating a virile university sub-sector in the Nigerian economy. Sapre-Obi (2014) holds that proper records management could help universities to manage their information, efficiently fulfill their mandate, protect them from litigations, preserve their corporate memory, and foster accountability and good governance. Popoola (2000), had actually emphasized how every modern system of government or administration, be they public or private, humanitarian or profit oriented keeps records of its transactions for administrative purposes – planning, decision-making and control which should have timely access.
There seem to be agreement among researchers in the field of records management concerning the meaning of records. Records, in the views of Weeks (1986), Ugwunze (1992), Popoola (2003), Enemute (2005), Sapere-Obi (2014) and Ajewole (2001), etc. are information received and kept, regardless of the form or medium received and maintained by an agency, institution, organization or individual in pursuit of its legal obligations or in the transaction of business. Generally, these are documentary evidence of transactions made or received in pursuance of legal obligations, irrespective of the physical form or characteristics of the media. Such recorded information could be on paper, audiotapes, videotapes, microfilms, photographs, slides and such computer readable as computer tapes, disks, compact and optical disks.
Records management in the conceptualization of Ugwunze (1992), Popoola (2003), Enemute (2005), and Sapere-Obi (2014) could mean a management science that deals with controlling the quantity, quality and cost of records and it encompasses the procedural system operations, space, equipment and staff required to administer the records. Record management means creation, control and disposal of records, it includes planning and developing classification schemes, operating and maintenance of files and other documents, checking undue proliferation of records, planning and maintenance of record rooms, preparation of indexes. Records when managed properly could go a long way in enhancing the administration of institutions that keep such.
Records management is a cyclical process of sequential steps and procedures that are logically and systematically arranged. Weeks (1986), Gower (1989) and Sapere-Obi (2014), agree with others and carefully identified the basic components of records management to include filling, storage, retrieval, retention, and disposal. The essence of record management in higher educational institutions is to ensure effectiveness, efficiency and proper economy of records generated, created or received by school administration. Records management in higher educational institutions largely depend on recorded information which could be on paper, audiotapes, videotapes, microfilms, photographs, slides and such computer readable as computer tapes, disks, compact and optical disks. It is generally believed that the ability of an organization in managing its records could be a prerequisite to effective administration.
In higher educational systems, some of the vital records produced and used include personal (employee) and financial records. Personal record could be those that contain initial application forms, results, and physical examination, periodic appraisals, transfer and promotion to mention some. It is argued that management of personnel records is likely to pose problems because of their bulk, longevity, sensitivity and occupy valuable space in offices. Financial records are all transactions kept in relation to financial matters. These include budget allocation, budget requests, statement of expenditure, shipment receipts, invoices, requisitions, purchase orders, receipts of monies received or expended, etc. Records management has become a basic aspect of the organizational life of higher educational institutions. Proper functioning of higher educational systems would require the generation and transaction of information in the form of records for teaching, learning, research and general administration in meeting set goals.
In Bayelsa State, a look at the way information is generated, used, stored and disposed in higher educational institutions could reveal the lack of expertise and efficiency in its handling. As sensitive as records are in higher educational institutions, it has become worrisome that vital records for teaching – learning, research and general administrative purposes may be very difficult and time consuming to trace and use even if they exist. Recorded information in files are usually mixed up or lost. Files may not have been properly labeled and kept in designated cabinets for easy access and use.
The observable dusty nature of files usually mixed up, found on the floors at the conners of offices could easily reveal that something had either gone wrong with the records management procedures or such personnel are incompetent in handling such assignments. This corroborates with the submissions of Ugwunze (1992), Popoola (2003), Ajewole (2001), Enemute (2005) and Sapere-Obi (2014), who strongly view the level of educational attainment of records personnel could affect the way records are handled. Since records form the heart beat of school administration, the absence of proper management policies, procedures and personnel could pose great challenges to administrative effectiveness.
It is possible that so many people may have at one point or the other become disappointed with the way administrative records have been handled which may have resulted to conflicts and litigations against institutions, capable of increasing costs. It could be possible that these supposed inadequacies in the records management systems of higher educational institutions may have negatively impinge on overall school administration and capable of slowing down progress. This study was therefore carried out to determine the extent to which records management is adequate and the implications of such findings on administration of higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of Problem
It is true that records would continue to play cardinal roles in the administration of higher educational institutions. This is because every modern institution or system of administration is sustained by records. The way such records are created, filed, retained,retrieved, stored and disposed could have an overall effect on the effectiveness of the administration. Also, competence is required on the part of those who perform these duties, in enabling the maintenance of best practices based on globally accepted standards. For Higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State and indeed Nigeria to become effective in their administrations, there is the need for effective, adequate and well organized records management procedures to be put in place and implemented for overall goal achievement.
Preliminary observations revealed that records staff deal with huge information and many not possess adequate knowledge of the life cycle of records and could probably lack the inertia for managing such in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State. In these institutions, records could easily be sighted heaped at the corners of offices and have become very dusty as available filling cabinets are filled to capacity. It could be possible that higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State may not have well thought out records management policies and procedures that are implemented, considered comprehensive enough to support effective administration. Situations seem to abound where required records needed to actualize administrative process could not be trace easily or found at all. These range from students issues through personnel matters to other administrative concerns and are capable of creating considerable challenges to general institutional effectiveness in higher educational institutions. The problem of this study therefore is “to what extent are the records management systems adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria?” The study was therefore carried out to determine the extent to which records management systems are adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State, Nigeria and make inferences on how these could affect administration.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which records management systems are adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State. But specifically, the study was carried out:
1. To find out the extent to which the filling of records is adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State.
2. To determine the extent to which storage facilities of records are adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State.
3. To determine the extent to which the retrieval systems of records are adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State.
4. To determine the extent to which the qualification of records staff are adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State.
5. To determine the extent to which the records disposal systems are adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State.
1.4 Objectives of the study
1. To understand if the extent of filling of records adequate has an impact in higher educational institutions?
2. To understand the relationship between the storage of records and productivity in higher educational institutions?
3. To understand if the retrieval of records is adequate in higher educational institutions?
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were posed to guide the study:
1. To what extent is the filling of records adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State?
2. To what extent is the storage of records adequate in higher educational institutions in Bayelsa State?
3. Is the retrieval of records adequate in higher educational
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