Assessment of records management practices: A case of Parliamentary records management service

Abstract

The study covered background to the study, statement to the problem, the main objectives of the study, specific objectives of the study, research questions and scope of the study, justification of the study and the definition of operational terms. The study was guided with three objectives and these included identifying different types of records at Parliamentary Records Management Service, identifying the importance of the records management Practices at Parliamentary Records Management Service, to examine the challenges faced with management records at Parliamentary Records Management Service, to propose solutions for effective records management Practices at Parliamentary Records Management Service. The methodology part of the study covered the research design where the researcher used descriptive research design because it provided a framework for interpreting the variables of the study. It further comprised the population where out of the 15 study population, only 14 was used as the sample size basing on a simple random sampling technique which was used to select the respondents in the organization where the study was conducted because of the proximity of the researcher‘s views of time and funds constraints. The study concentrated on only primary source of data, data collections tools such as questionnaires were used The results indicated that; the department have never appraised or disposed its records ever since its establishment, records had already filled up the strong room which is no longer accessible and some of the records are staffed in boxes and some piled on the floors. It was recommended that the department adopts a records management policy, train its staff on simple records management standards, adopts a records preservation plan, revive the records office and to appraise and dispose records systematically. The research concluded that the Parliamentary Records Management Service department has worked seriously on records management problems though the safety and security of records is a challenge to personnel in-charge of records. Also at Parliamentary records management services department it was revealed that there were numerous instances where important documents and notes were not kept in secure conditions.