VARIABLES MILITATING AGAINST PRINCIPALS’ EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL RECORDS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study: Information is the most fundamental and vital asset of every firm, and it, like all other corporate assets, requires competent management. In the past, "record management" solely referred to the management of documents that were no longer in daily use but still required to be retained "semi current" records, which were frequently held in basements or elsewhere. More recently, the term has come to apply to the whole "life cycle" of records, from creation through final destruction. This school records are official documents, books, and files holding vital and important information about acts and occurrences that are saved and preserved at the school office for use and retrieval when needed. Record management, on the other hand, is defined as the field of management responsible for the efficient and systematic control of the creation, receipt, maintenance, use, and disposition of records, including the process of capturing and maintaining evidence of and information about business activities transactions in the firm of records. School administrators, instructors, counsellors, and administrative personnel keep and maintain these records. One of the most crucial administrative parts of any school organisation that the school administrator or principal must follow is record management. As a result, the goal of record keeping and management is to retain accurate and correct records of students' achievements and progress, information on school activities, and things that will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of school operations. Record management is also described as the systematic and scientific control of recorded information that is essential for the school's functioning. Within the school, such control is exerted over the distribution, usage, retention, storage retrieval, protection, preservation, and final depositing of all forms of documents. According to Idoko (2015)., records are critical instruments for good school planning and administration, and it is difficult to properly plan and govern any formal organisation if records are not preserved or are mishandled. As a social structure, the education system has multiple sub-systems or levels that are controlled to provide some consistency and continuity. To do this, records must be preserved and handled securely.

 According to Fabunmi (2020). , not all information can be termed records until it satisfies the qualities of geniueity and authenticity, that is, the information that the records presented must be time, correct, and original, records must be complete, available, accessible, and secured. There are several records kept in any educational system, some of which are necessary and others which are voluntary or discretionary. These records are classified as statutory and non-statutory records. Admission or withdrawal register, attendance register, scheme of work, time table, log book, visitors book, time movement books, school journal, lesson plan note for instructors, examination record book, and so on are examples of statutory records. Cash book, staff minutes book, school magazine, stock book, punishment book, school calendar, inventory book, inspection or supervision report file, confidential report firms, and necessary book are examples of non-statutory records. The goal of record management is to enhance the retrieval and utilisation of school records in the school system, as well as the efficiency of the record producing and maintaining process. Record management aids in the regulation of the quality and amount of information produced in a way that efficiently fulfils the needs of the institution (Akubue 2019).

According to Fasasi (2004), school record management is intended to improve the effectiveness of secondary school administrators. Adequate record management coordinates and preserves an institution's records, sharpens the usefulness of records as a management memory that manages the times, equipment, and space given to records, and aids in the resolution of intra-organizational and communication difficulties. Records management in secondary schools, like in any other organisation, is a cyclical process involving principals, teachers, students, messengers, and cleaners, but the majority of records are handled by principals and kept manually, making processing, retrieval, and utilisation of records difficult. Because appropriate management of school records is vital for efficient school administration, it is necessary to investigate the variables that impede the management of school records by secondary school principals, utilising secondary schools in Oredo local Government Area of Edo state as a case study.

1.2 Statement of the Problem           

Irrespective of the importance of school records in the achievement of educational objectives, these records do not seem to be adequately managed by school principals. In Nigeria today getting accurate and reliable data has been a long letting problem. Agbaje (1982) pointed out that Nigeria have been meddling without facts and figures in schools. From observation, it becomes obvious that fulfill-evidential requirements are being created but not properly managed. Egwunojenga (2009) emphasized that record management practice in Nigerian Secondary Schools has a number of factors militating against it. These factors includes: insufficient skilled and experienced record management personnel, Law priority of record management in the scheme of things. Undurable and bulky materials for records, inadequate storage space. However, many principals complains of shortage of trained personnel, funds and materials resources. All these could possibly have serious effect on management of school records by Secondary school principals in Oredo local Government Area of Edo State.

1.3 Purpose of the Study           

The purpose of this study was to identify the major factors militating against the management of school records by principal and to suggest possible solutions which might help to eliminate or at least reduce the number of duet factors. It was also hoped that the study would be of assistance to other persons who might be interested in conducting research in this field in future.

1.4 Research Questions

1: What are the perceived problems associated with record keeping by the secondary school principals in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State?

2: What are the causes of improper record keeping in Secondary Schools in Oredo Local Government Area in Edo State?

3: What record keeping techniques are adopted by the secondary school principals in Oredo Local Government Area?

4: These adopted techniques effectively aid record keeping in these secondary schools    

1.5 Significance of Study           

According to John Dewey (1919), “the ultimate aim of Education other than the creation of human beings is the recreation of the society. The essence of record management is that it facilitates research activities that would promote efficiency and effectiveness in the school system, provide useful information to an employer of labour who may want to recruit people for jobs as requires in testimonials, transcript, certificates and reference letters. Finally, to provide useful information to the educational planners and administrators. It is hoped that the study would identify the major problems facing the management of school records by school principal and to suggest possible solutions to tackle these problems. This study would be also be of help to those who may want to research into this very problem in the future.

1.6 Scope/Limitations of the Study           

The study covered all the secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.

Limitations           

This study was designed to cover all the secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State Area due to insufficient fund and time is the researcher chose to reduce the Area of study tom just Oredo Local Government Area.

1.7 Definition of Terms

 The researcher has decided to assign meaning to the following terms for the purpose of this research. These terms includes: Local Government Area, factors, insufficient, inadequate, inexperience and undurable.

1.   Local Government Area: Is a convenient grouping of villages and towns by the government for the purpose of easy administration in a specified geographical location, Each Local Government Area has and administrative headquarter with a resident chairman.

2.   Factors - The term “factors” here signifies things that causes or influences the poor management of school records

3.   Insufficient - This term refers to the necessary factors needed for effective management of school records.

4.   Inadequate - Also refers to the necessary factors needed for effective management of records not being enough for the purpose it was meant to serve.

5.   Inexperienced - This refers to one having little knowledge or experience about something.

6.   Undurable - The term “Undurable” refers to materials used for record storage wearing out within a short period of time owing to the inferiority of those materials.