Digitized and Manual School Records Management Systems: Implications for Administrative Effectiveness in Secondary Schools

This study examines the implications of digitized and manual School Records Management Systems (SRMS) on administrative effectiveness in public secondary schools. Data were gathered on 50 schools (25 digitized and 25 manual) based on time-motion logs, record audits, and an administrative performance scale using an ex post facto quasi-experimental design. The measures and comparison of key indicators were made: administrative efficiency, record accuracy, retrieval time, and decision-making cycle. Findings also showed that digitized SRMS was associated with a significantly high administrative efficiency (M = 8.42 vs. 4.16), accuracy of records (98.6% vs. 91.2), faster retrieval (18.3 vs. 137.5 seconds), and decision cycles (2.1 vs. 6.7 days), indicating large and very large effectiveness. A multiple regression established that the strongest predictor of overall administrative effectiveness lies in SRMS type (β = 0.82, p < 0.001), and even after ensuring that the size of the school, the experience of its administrators, and the ICT infrastructure were taken into account, it could explain 83% of the variance. The results give solid empirical evidence in support of Efficiency Theory and highlight the revolution that digitization has brought in simplifying the school administration. The article has filled an important evidence gap concerning low-resource settings with measurable metrics to confirm that digital SRMS is a wise investment. Recommendations include context-sensitive digitization policies, capacity building, and infrastructure development to ensure equitable and sustainable implementation.