dc.description.abstract | The study was undertaken to assess management of semi-active records at Ministry of Finance
Planning and Economic Development. It was aligned on the following objectives; to identify
categories of semi-active records generated and maintained at MoFPED, to find out how semiactive
records are stored and retrieved, to identify the challenges of managing semi-active
records at MoFPED and to make recommendations regarding the best practices for managing
semi-active records at MoFPED. The study adopted a qualitative research design and data was
collected using interviews, observation and document analysis. The registry staffs as well as the
records centre in charge were purposively selected for first-hand data collection because the
researcher believed that they had trustworthy information on management of semi-active records.
The findings of the study revealed that at MoFPED semi-active records are those records
required only infrequently in the conduct of current business. There were two basic categories of
semi-active records namely; the subject and personnel semi-active records. The subject semiactive
records included administrative and financial semi-active records and personnel semiactive
records about recruitment and appointment, induction and initial training, performance
appraisal, education, training and development, promotions, transfers, disciplinary proceedings
and dismissal, attendances etc. These records were stored on open wooden shelves, acid free
boxes, open metallic shelves and computers. Access to the semi-active records is granted by the
head of registry through the human resource that is done in writing or a verbal communication
through a call. Management of semi-active records is held up by limited space, inadequate
storage equipment, understaffing, storage of records in the basement and lack of ladders yet the
open wooden and metallic shelves are very high.
The study recommended that it is fundamental for records centres to liaise with the records
offices that transfer the semi-active records. Active liaison between the two offices is necessary
so that records are removed from records office and are deposited in the records centre,
transferred to the archival institution or destroyed as required by the schedules. In addition,
MoFPED should expand the records centre, recruit and train records centre staff, purchase more
storage equipment for semi-active records, shift the records centre from the basement to either
first floor or second floor, provide ladders since the shelves are very high as well as regularly
dispose records to create space in the records centre. | en_US |