Statutory school records are so vital and indispensable when it comes to teaching and learning. The quality of a school is a function of her ability to optimally keep and maintain necessary students’ academic performances by way of collating the necessary data of the student during his times of study in the institution. Ministries of education are ensuring that records are kept in schools.
WHAT IS STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORDS
Statutory school records are those basic compulsory academic records that are statutorily acknowledged by the world education authorities a school or schools must keep for reference purposes.
It is called statutory because it is:
- Statutory
- Official
- Approved
- Certified
- Compulsory
- Basic
- Consistent/constant in its developmental formats and it is universal.
By this I mean it is universally recognized and recommended for every certified institution of learning.
STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORDS AND THEIR USES
The use of statutory school records or school records is so enormous and defines an institution’s values, capacity, and proficiency. Spelling them out here I believe will give schools a guide and possibly instill into school administrators the essence of school record keeping. I am summarily going to state some of the uses of the statutory records, they are:
- Statutory records keep facts straight and true
- It is the strongest instrument for evaluations
- Statutory records practically give you true information and facts of an institution
- It keeps details of the overall academic performances of students and learners
- Statutory records help institutions to make appraisals and improve on quality service delivery
- it helps schools keep a record of both good and bad moments of the institution
- Statutory school records keep a comprehensive record about students and parents/guardians
- A good, comprehensive, and detailed statutory school record saves a lot in the case of an emergency.
TYPES OF SCHOOL RECORDS
Honestly speaking, there are more than 30 types of statutory school records. See our publication on “30 TYPES OF SCHOOL STATUTORY RECORDS AND THEIR USES FOR EFFECTIVE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT” to get all the school records at a go. However, below are the most compulsory statutory school records that must be kept in a school even if others are not there in the school:
- The admission, progress, and withdrawal register
- The class attendance and fees register
- The class diary
- Teachers lesson notes
- The subject syllabus
- The national poly on education
- The logbook
- The visitor’s book
- The time book
- Inventory book
- The cash registers
- The staff movement book.
STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORDS USES /IMPORTANCE
I took some moments to do some explanation on most of the listed statutory school records in publication on school statutory records. However, for reference purposes, I am going to pick up the above subject matters again. This is for the fact that we are now looking at these school records as the most compulsory and possibly the important school documents a school must keep, this:
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THE ADMISSION, PROGRESS, AND WITHDRAWAL REGISTER AS A SCHOOL RECORD
The admission, progress, and withdrawal register are some of the most valuable statutory school records. It captures every detail of a student at the point of admission, academic progress, and withdrawals to another school. The admission, progress, and withdrawal register documents this information for reference purposes in the future.
With these very school records, you can issue to the student his or her admission numbers and class placement after a successful entrance interview. Any school that cannot provide this on inspection by education inspectors is seen to be unqualified to exist, and such a school may be closed down by government authorities.
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THE CLASS ATTENDANCE AND FEES REGISTER AS SCHOOL RECORDS
The school attendance and fees register is the second most important statutory school record. This is for the fact that it takes record of student’s daily school attendance. With these very singular school records, a form teacher can determine whether a student was in school from the morning hours till school closure.
The school class attendance register like the name goes is marked twice daily; morning and afternoon with strokes using a pen. In our next class, I shall be teaching you how you can use the register in terms of working the weekly percentage average, etc. don’t forget to give me a call if you need guidance on how to work the register.
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THE CLASS DIARY AS A STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORD
The diary is another vital and a must keep statutory school records. This is for the fact that it organizes the workload and the overall teaching performances/inputs of a teacher. However, we have discussed this particular school record in our previous publication on the school diary. Follow the link to get every detail you need to know on the school diary as a statutory record.
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TEACHER’S LESSON NOTES
The teacher’s lesson notes are one of the most important statutory school records an established school whether primary, secondary or even tertiary institution must ensure that their teachers must perfectly know how to keep. We’ve already done justice to this very particular topic. Read it up via the links and be better equipped on all there is about the lesson note.
School authorities whether government or private need to regularly organize conferences, seminars, and workshops for their teachers. This can help expose them to modern techniques and methodologies on preparing these all-important school records as well as keeping them updated on the latest approaches to delivering quality teaching and learning.
READ MORE: 10 Awesome Tips on How to Write a Lesson Note for Primary School| Teacher Lesson Note Sample
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THE SUBJECT SYLLABUS AS A STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORD
The subject syllabus is simply a compendium of all relevant subjects offered in schools. These subjects with their relevant topics arranged accordingly with respect to the classes or grades as statutorily specified by the government are carefully pieced into units and sub-topics on a termly and weekly basis all in the syllabus which is also known as the scheme of work.
In Nigeria, the development of the syllabus is the responsibility of the National Education Research Development Commission [NERDC]. This body is established by ac act statutorily with the mandate of crafting and publishing academic policies and framework that is practical and grassroots oriented in line with other relevant international educational policies and programs.
Every well-established institution is required to make the syllabus compulsory working tools to ensure quality teaching and learning in their schools. This makes the syllabus one of the first teachings aids a school must acquire before admitting students into the school. The ministry of education should ensure that schools have the necessary syllabus if we must deliver quality education to our children.
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THE NATIONAL POLY ON EDUCATION AS A STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORDS
The National policy on education is another compulsory statutory school record a school must keep handy, follow religiously, and implement every article and section contained in it. It is a policy that stipulates the terms and conditions required to float any institution of learning. It carefully captures the dos and don’ts as it regards the school sector.
The education policy is formulated by the federal government with the intention of harmonizing the education sector on one single general learning tool and operation whether the school is government-owned or a private individual. Therefore, the scheme of work or curriculum is uniform anywhere in the country of operation. All schools are expected to religiously follow the National policy on education.
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THE LOGBOOK AS A STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORDS
In our previous edition, we discussed the logbook as one of the compulsory school records a school must keep. It is simply a documentary book for important dates in the history of an institution.
The logbook as a school record contains very sensitive information about a school. In the logbook, information like the day the school re-opened with the number of staff, students, and learners present, the date a school vacates for another academic session, important happenings or events in the school as well as other necessary details and information that must be kept in the school for future reference purposes.
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THE VISITOR’S BOOK AS A STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORDS A PRINCIPAL MUST KEEP
The visitor’s book is a school record where important visitors to the school just as a matter of fact sign in, stating clearly their mission to the school. They are to sign it to make their visit very official. If the visitor’s book is not signed by a visitor to the school, what it means is that the visit is unofficial and may not be considered seriously by the school management.
School managers should ensure that the visitor’s book is signed by visitors to the school to help checkmate fraudsters extorting the school in the name of authorized visitors. Insist that they must sign the visitor’s book with their necessary details dropped.
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THE TIME BOOK AS A SCHOOL RECORD TO BE KEPT BY PRINCIPAL
Another compulsory school record to be kept by the principal or any school administrator at that is the time book. The time book is a record that contains the different time’s staff signed in for the day, weeks, months, the whole term, the entire academic session.
The time book is the punctuality book for staff of an established institution of teaching and learning. With this singular record, time is well managed as there are penalties attached for coming in against the approved time of the school. This helps staff to sit up and deliver their duties professionally and accurately at the right times.
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INVENTORY BOOK AS A STATUTORY SCHOOL RECORD TO BE KEPT BY PRINCIPAL
This kind of school record is kept by the principal for accountability’s sake. It ensures that every property owned or bought into the school is properly and carefully recorded for proper upkeep and maintenance.
Stock-taking is one crucial aspect of an institution of learning. With it, a good school administrator can be able to efficiently and effectively allocate material equipment for the progress of the institution.
READ MORE: School Record-Keeping | 6 Exciting and Amazing Modern Strategies For Keeping School Records
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THE STAFF MOVEMENT BOOK IS A MUST KEEP SCHOOL RECORD
The staff movement book records every movement of staff in and out of the school. It is used to checkmate the movement of teachers while on duty. With this very school record, truancy or foul-play from staff will be practically and drastically eradicated.
The relevance of this record is so obvious since it guarantees security on the part of the school. The staff movement book gives the school firsthand information about staff movements whenever they are within the confines of the school and can help the school defend itself in the case of staff insecurity.
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THE CASH REGISTERS AS A SCHOOL RECORD THAT IS KEPT BY PRINCIPAL
The cash register is one of the most important statutory school records that a school must keep. It is a financial record of the school that details every credit and debit of the school. It guarantees financial accountability on the part of the school administrators.
The school bursar together with the principal ensures that this very record is accurately kept. The cash register eliminates misappropriation and unnecessary expenditures from the school administrators.
It is also what stating here that the financial sector of every institution whether the academic or nonacademic institution is the sub-structure that determines the superstructure. It defines the health and progressive state of the institution. It is the yardstick to measure the strength or weakness of any institution. This is how critical and relevant the cash registers are to the school system.
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CONCLUSION
The essence of records keeping to an academic institution cannot be over-emphasized. These twelve [12] basic statutory school records are so crucial and should not be handled with kids-glove because the future and successes of a school to the very largest extent depend on these records.
We are committed to equipping our proprietors adequately well because the future and the prosperity of our nations depends on the quality of their citizens, and education is the bedrock upon which great leaders of any nation are raised. Preserve their academic records and preserve their future.
