Project – Automated online clearance system
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Clearance is a status granted to individuals, typically members of the military, university graduates and employees of governments and their contractors, allowing them have access to classified information, i.e. state secrets. The term “clearance” is also sometimes used in private organizations that have a formal process to vet employees for access to sensitive information. A clearance by itself is normally not sufficient to gain access; the organization must determine that the cleared individual has a “need to know” the information. No one is supposed to be granted access to classified information solely because of rank or position, but once a clearance is obtained, access to certain information or gain of freedom will be granted.
Nasarawa State Polytechnic is a state government polytechnic approved by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly for the establishment of a polytechnic in Lafia. The Nasarawa State Polytechnic was established by his Excellency, the first Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji (Dr) Abdullahi Adamu (sarkin yakin Keffi) on 15th August 2000. The school operates the faculty system and presently has four faculties: Science and Technology, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Management and Social Sciences. Over the years the polytechnic has recruited competent staff for its programmers and admitted student from Nasarawa State, and other states of the federation as foreign students.
The computer science department was introduced after the establishment of the polytechnic in the year 2000/2001 academic section with Mrs. Freda Agbeje as the acting head of department (HOD) 2000/2001 with an average number of academic and non-academic staff in the department from 2003 to 2005. In the year 2006/2007 Mallam Garba M. Rabiu was appointed as the acting head of department. The department stated was more than 40 computers and accessories.
In polytechnic like Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia, there is need for an automated method of keeping data, more so a greater need for an online clearance system, most especially Computer Science Department.
This would a long way in alleviating the various problems and stress involved in the manual method of clearance. Moreover, the issue of delayed departmental clearance as a result of mobility to complete the tedious manual process of clearance would be curtailed.
1.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY
As many higher institutions of academic learning have chosen to pursue the dynamic educational options available online. The advantages of e-learning are many. As people of all ages and backgrounds become increasingly reliant on the internet for information, online learning becomes more convenient and efficient thereby bringing the need for an online clearance system. The skills needed to access and comprehend information online are becoming commonplace, and the flexibility of wireless computing means that any coffee shop, airport or bedroom can become a classroom.
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The processes of clearing students after their graduation requires that the students be cleared in various departments and information units. Among which are:
- Library fines and overdue or lost library materials from the University
- Departmental Dues
- Infirmary and bookstore charges
- Residence hall damage charges
- Return of athletic equipment
- Student Union Fee
- Bursary and all other charges
For a graduating student to carry out his or her clearance from all these departments, it normally takes a lot of time and a lot of processes and delays in clearing the student for youth service as well as collection of statement of result. Hence it became imperative for an online clearance system to eliminate the shortcomings of the manual system in place.
1.4 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of this computer software based online clearance system for the admitted and current student of computer science department includes the following:
- To effectively and efficiently process student’s clearance.
- To provide a reliable and transparent system devoid of personal inclination and interest.
- To ensure prompt clearance.
- To alleviate the problems and stress of travelling and queuing up of students during clearance.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The project work will help in a good number of ways to ease the queuing of students as the online clearance system will help students to achieve whatever they want to achieve without coming to the department for manual clearance.
Online clearance system allows the users to check their clearance status as whether they are in any way indebted to the school, fill and submit their clearance form, and obtain their clearance letter. There are many other advantages of online clearance system and some of them are listed below;
- It saves a lot of time.
- It is very convenient to use it right from the bedroom, office or anywhere in the world.
- Information processing is very fast and delays can be avoided.
- It is inexpensive to students and the school management.
- It also helps the school in reducing cost such as labour and stationeries.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This project work is to develop computer software based on online clearance system for clearance of Computer Science Department, Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia. The software development will be carried out using PHP, CSS, HTML, MYSQL for both front and back end; XAMP as the localhost.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This project covers some of the aspect of a computer software based online clearance system using computer science department, Nasarawa State Polytechnic Lafia as case study.
However, the following are the constraints:
- Time Constraints: Due to limited time, the web-page covers only computer science departmental clearance, Nasarawa state polytechnic by admitted students and current students.
- Financial Constraints: Due to financial constraints students cannot afford this kind of process online especially towards the cost of accessing the internet. Therefore, it would cost a lot to develop a full web-based clearance system. Some documents were considered confidential and were not made available.
Project – Automated online clearance system