Information Management Practices and Challenges in School Governance: Basis for Localized Digital Archive

Abstract

Information plays a vital role in school governance as it is a primary basis for policy planning and development. The Department of Education recognizes this significance as it launched its own management information systems known as EBEIS (Electronic Basic Education Information Systems). In the school level, however, technology and resources for information management remain a challenge. To address this concern, this research examined the data management practices and challenges in a local public secondary school in the Philippines to develop a school-based online information management system. Focus group discussions were conducted among school administrators and personnel who are directly in charge of managing school data. The existing information management process involves: 1) data gathering and receiving of reports, 2) filing and storage, and 3) retrieval of data. Time consumed in the filing and retrieval of data; unorganized storage of paper-based documents; and absence of school policy on information management were observed as primary challenges of the existing process. Hence, project GEARS (GEANHS’ Electronic Archiving & Retrieval System) was developed and introduced for pilot testing. The system is an online archive of school data, utilizing a free-hosting website and a cloud storage application to remain economical for a public school. Implications on the new system were positive and were observed as efficient, accessible, organized, and secure. The new system can be modified for information management needs of both local secondary and elementary public schools.

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Author Information
Lerma Peña, Department of Education, The Philippines
Marycon Carmela Mella, Department of Education, The Philippines

• Category: Knowledge Creation

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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