Vice Principals’ Perception on the Effects of Student’s Records Management on Secondary Schools’ Administrative Effectiveness in Fako Division, South West Region Of Cameroon

Administrative effectiveness is fundamental for the success and functionality of any educational institution. The management of students’ records of a school plays a crucial role in the effective administration of the institution. This study sought to examine the effect of students’ records management on administrative effectiveness in secondary schools in the geo-political area of Fako Division, South West Region of Cameroon. The study therefore sought to investigate the practices of student records management by vice principals, and the extent to which these affect administrative effectiveness in secondary schools in the study area. The records continuum theory by Cook in 1999 provided the theoretical backbone of the study. The study objectively adopted the descriptive survey design. The population of study included a stratified randomly selected sample of 87 vice principals of public, lay private and confessional schools in Fako Division, South West Region of Cameroon. Data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire. The instrument was subjected to a Cronbach alpha reliability test to obtain a high reliability coefficient of 0.755. Data was analyzed descriptively (frequencies and percentages) and inferentially (Chi-Square test). Findings revealed that the respondents are undecided on the effects of the management of students’ records on administrative effectiveness. An average number of 45 (51.2%) responded with positive feedback to the items, meanwhile a minority of 43 (48.8%) responded with negative feedback (strongly disagree and disagree). The Chi-square test revealed that the management of students’ records significantly affects administrative effectiveness, however, the association was weak (X2 = 1.081, p=0.048). We equally found that there is the existence of policies, procedures and processes in the management of students’ records in secondary schools in the study area. Amongst the measured indicators of students’ records management practices, those most regularly practiced are creation of student files, tracing of students’ records, ease of accessibility to students’ records. Based on our findings, we concluded that the management of students’ records has, though to a lesser extent, an effect on administrative effectiveness in secondary schools in Fako Division of the South West Region of Cameroon. We therefore recommend that improvement in records management practices is highly solicited. Such improvement practice should involve shifts from the currently manual system to the more advanced digital systems. These will necessitate the training of all stakeholders in the records management process on skills need for digital records management practices.