Assessment of the student records storage and retrieval system: a case study of Iganga High School

Abstract

The major purpose of this study was to assess student record storage and retrieval systems at Iganga High School. In carrying out this study, six (6) research objectives which included to find out the types of student records generated, to examine the current student records storage system used, to analyse the students records retrieval system, to find out the challenges faced in student records storage and retrieval system, to suggest solutions to improve student records storage and retrieval systems at Iganga High School, from which the four research questions where generated. The study adopted a mixed methodology of qualitative and quantitative approaches, in which the case study design was used. a sample size of four respondents was selected using purposive sampling technique involving the school headteacher, director of studies, bursar, and the records officer, it was qualitative in nature and data was collected using the interview and observation method data was analysed and presented qualitatively and the validity and reliability were used to improve on the quality of data presented The major findings of the study were that ,records storage and retrieval system composed of storage equipment like metallic lockable cabinets, cupboard wooden shelves and others, the filing systems like alphabetical, alpha-numerical and the numerical filing systems and the subject classification systems, records storage procedure and practices and it was mainly manual and it was characterized by challenges like on inadequate records storage equipment and space, lack of a disaster management plan, poorly dust records management personnel thus leading to the delays in service delivery with some solutions to the challenges as suggested by respondents like allocating resources to records management, recruiting specific records, developing records policies and others Basing on the study findings, study was concluded that, the storage and retrieval systems at the school were inefficient and the recommendation to improve; it included creation and prioritizing an independent records management system, repairing the broken lockers of cabinets and cupboards to improve on the security, developing policies like records policy, disaster management plan and a records storage and retrieval schedules, recruiting a professional records officer to manage the school records and other.