INTRODUCTION
Records are evidences of business transactions between one person and another or with group
of persons. Records are “assets” as single copy of it mismanaged can destroy both an individual
and organization (Oyebo, 2016). The term records, as defined by Read and Ginn (2011), “are
stored information, regard less of media or characteristics, made or received by an
organization that is evidence of its operations and has value requiring its retention for specificperiod of time”. Students’ records are critical in achieving university’s goals and objectives. The
role of records management in education institutions cannot be over-emphasized. It is difficult
to attain development without records.
Government Records Service (2011) sees records as valuable assets of organizations. Good
records management not only helps protect records but also enhances organizations’
operational efficiency. Record management especially in university set-up brings to bare the
longevity of that school; in that the continuity of the school solely depends on availability of
useful records and past activities. In a university environment also, it is absolutely impossible
to keep every information in the brain owing to the volume of available information, and as
such, records must be kept.
Record keeping/management is so important that it predated the existence of man. For
instance, in the holy book Genesis 1 and 2 God kept a chronological and historical record of all
his work during creation from day one when he created heaven and earth to the seventh day
when he rested from his works which he made. In the same vein, universities keep
chronological records that keep the institution alive in terms of academic record. Fadokun
(2004) and Tower (2004) who states that adequate security, storage facilities and funds serves
as necessities for good record management. Then Nwaomah, (2015) asserts that in educational
institutions such as a university, academic/educational records refers to information or data
relating to students both in paper and electronic formats that provides evidence of and
information about the actions or events that happened. These events are created through the
processes of admission, matriculation, examination and convocation to mention but a few.
Without proper management of these records, the future of the university will be dimmed.
According to Research Clue (2014), record management is the practice of maintaining the
records of an organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal: this
may include classifying, storing, securing and destruction (or in some cases, archival
preparation) of records. Records management is primarily concerned with the evidence of an
organizations activity and is usually applied according to the value of the records rather than
their physical format. Furthermore, Omoha (2013) adds, the purpose of record management is
to ensure that accurate and proper records of students’ achievement and growth, information
on school activities and matters that will promote efficiency and effectiveness of the school
system are kept, among others. Adequate records management programme co-ordinates and
protects institutions’ records, sharpens the effectiveness of records as a management memory
which controls the times, equipment and space allocated to records and helps to simplify intra- organizational and communication problems. The management of students’ records in
universities, like in any other organization, is a cyclic process involving categorically registry
staff.
Nwaomah (2015) citing Popoola (2000), Atulomah (2011), and (JISC IfoNet, 2007) indicated
that information and records management are foundational to business activity. The absence
of information can cripple the planning and decision making process of management. This fact
is very applicable to a university records management concerning its student records. From a
broad perspective, the creation and maintenance of records relating to the students of an
institution are essential to managing the relationship between the institution and the student;
providing support and other services and facilities to the students; controlling the students’
academic progress and measuring their achievement, both at the institution and subsequently;
providing support to the students after they leave the institution. With this development, one
can ask, of what importance is students’ records management to the university and its
community?