assessment of records management practices at ministry of finance, planning and economic development (mofped)

Description

Records are vital to every aspect of governance process and institutions of all kinds should highly embrace records management. Proper and efficient records management practices occupies a strategic position in the efficient and effective management of public institutions. The purpose of the study was to assess the records management practices at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The objectives of the study were to; identify the types of records generated; evaluate the Records Management Practices; identify the challenges of Records Management; and propose strategies to improve Records Management Practices at Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The study used a case study research design while adopting a qualitative approach to data collection. Data were obtained through the use of interviews and observation methods. In the study, 1 records manager, 4 records officers, 4 secretaries and 20 Ministry staff with access to records were purposively selected to participate in the study. The study established that MOFPED generates a number of records which include; personnel records, financial records, legal records, administrative records and research records which exist in both paper and electronic formats. There are various records management practices at MOFPED which include; creation of records, registration of all the records, tracking devices used for records, folioing of records, and classification of records, filling of records, storage of the records and maintaining security of records at MOFPED. The Ministry registry engaged in creation, storage, search and retrieval of records. The challenges were; ineffectiveness of the excel and Navision applications, incompliance from the staff, delay with the files, inadequate backups, insecurity of records, misplacement of record files and the lack of a Records management policy. From the study manual records management system was more popular than automated systems. Majory the study established the need for automation of records management systems and designing an Electronic Filing System. Based on the findings above, the study concluded that designing an Electronic Filing System for the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development was necessary in order to ease the search and retrieval of records from the registry. The study recommendations were digitisation of the records, training of MOFPED staff on records management, developing records management policies, designing effective records management systems, developing a schedule for retention and disposal of records, improve on the storage of the records, introducing retention and disposal schedules, and employing qualified and skilled records staff.