A Survey of Records Management Systems at the Institute of Continuing Education, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed records management systems at the Institute of Continuing Education, Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State. The researchers adopted a case study research design. The population for the study comprises 20 staff, made up of the Director of the Institute, the Deputy Registrar, the Secretary to the Director, and all registry officers. Due to the meager population, the study adopted the entire population as the sample size. The major instrument used to collect data was a structured questionnaire, complemented by personal observation. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics including simple percentages and frequency count.     Findings revealed that records kept by the Institute were student academic records, students’ admission letters, verification of results files, registration kits, student matriculation lists, incoming mail, and outgoing mail. Records were kept both manually and electronically in some offices. Records management was beneficial for the smooth running of the Institute as it made it possible to attend to institutional and student demands on time. The study concluded that the practice of proper records management has not been incorporated into the administration of the Institute. The study, therefore, recommended that the practice of records management components should be incorporated holistically into the institute-wide strategic planning initiatives to take care of the distinct types of records from when they are generated to when they are destroyed or archived.