1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Over the years, many methods of records keeping have been applied in running organization but one thing that has remained relatively constant in modern management has been the management needs for information.
Management requires information/records about products, personnel, finance, customers and when called for, they need them promptly to speed the work of the busy executors (Elendu 1983)
Modern society depend much upon records. Business organizations, government ministries, Educational Institution and social institutions depends upon information for the existence. in the modern business offices in Nigeria, contracts, letters, memoranda, invoice, cheques, vouchers, price lists, catalogues, cost analysis statements, personnel reports constitutes records that have to be preserved for future references.
Also, Educational institutes keeps records of their students names, address and even results of examinations taken either passed or failed, letters, transcript, reports, particulars of students.
All these records should be kept in the most appropriate and convenient methods to fasten their retrieval when needed. All sorts of records are recovered by the institution working day.
There is no doubts that if these records are not properly taken care of, the whole records office space will be flooded with papers and there will be no working space kept. This situation will then give rise to problems in records management. Records management ensures that important documents of the institution are retained and protected against damage, loss and unqualified assessments. Un-important and useless ones should be destroyed or discarded.
Hence (Thelma 1990), the main purpose of record management is to eliminate papers that are temporary useless without delay and to identify and protect important documents of the institution.
In every institution today, the key question asked are; What type of records should be kept? How long should it be kept? What is the mode of their destruction? This project therefore will try to proffer answers to these problems.
1.2 Statement of Problems
Record keeping in higher institution has many problems which should be considered and solutions proffered. These problems are seen in the keeping, arranging and preparation of these records. The rate at which paper work accumulates every working day throws many heads into confusion as to how to deal with them.
Experience has shown that owing to inefficiency in the practice of records management, higher institutions find it very difficult to make decisions as and at when appropriate.
The problems of records management includes
- Absence of well-defined record management practice or policy. This is a big problems to institution of higher learning. This policy is supposed to be adopted by institutions and strictly followed (Lucy 1989)
- Lack of storage space and equipment. When these records are not properly stored, it results t misplacement and loss of some essential documents. Moreover, most institutions have problems in records management because they do not find it necessary to train personnel in the areas of records management (Todd 1986)
- Other problems are encountered in handling mails, delay in giving of documents, problems in retrieved and disposal of records. These are some of the problems of records management that necessitated this write up.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
This research is to look into the problems of record management in institutions of higher learning; specifically to
- Identify the records management practice used in institute of management and technology Enugu
- Identify the problems encountered by secretaries in handling records in this institution.
- Determine the problems involved in storage of these records
- Determine the problems encountered by records personnel in the retrieval and disposal of records in this institution.
- Suggest useful solutions to these problems in order to achieve effective handling, retrieval and storage of records.
1.4 Significance of the Study
It is not an over-statement to say that records play an important role in any establishment. The success and failure of any institution of higher learning therefore depends to a large extent on its ability to keep and maintain effective records management.
In as much as management all over the world strives relentlessly to identify and protect the important papers and documents of the institutions, there is also a very important need to eliminate the useless papers with the least possible delay. This is the area higher institution have problems.
It is expected that this study with therefore reveal the major problems that institution of higher learning are facing in keeping their records. This study in the researcher's view with throw light on the root causes of these problems.
1.5 Research Questions
- What are the records management practice used in the institute of management and technology Enugu?
- What are the problems encountered by secretaries in handling records in the institution?
- What are the problems involved in storage of these records?
- What are the problems encountered in the retrieval and disposal of records in the institutions?
- How can the problems be solved?
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study focuses only on the problems of records management in Institute of Management and Technology IMT Enugu.
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