Behind Every Record: Exploring the Lived Experiences, Challenges, and Strategies of School Records Custodian in Times of Disaster
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsair.V2.I3.774Keywords:
Disaster; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; Records management; Records Custodian; School Records; School Records ManagementAbstract
This qualitative study explored the experiences, challenges, and strategies of School Records Custodians in managing and safeguarding school records before and after disasters in Batuan District. Employing a phenomenological research design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with fifteen (15) School Records Custodians selected through complete enumeration. The gathered narratives were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework. Findings revealed four overarching areas: experiences of custodians, challenges encountered, strategies implemented, and measures for improving records management preparedness. The participants’ experiences were reflected in the themes: Emotional Burden of Records Custodianship, Operational Challenges in School Records Management, and Realization of the Importance of Records Management in Disaster Preparedness. Challenges were manifested through themes: Organizational Constraints, Resource Limitations, and Communication and Coordination Gaps. Meanwhile, records protection strategies were characterized by Proactive Records Protection, Preparedness Planning, Coordinated Response, and Systematic Restoration and Digital Resilience. The study concluded that effective disaster-resilient records management requires an integrated system combining organizational preparedness, adequate resources, digital preservation, and coordinated stakeholder support. Based on the findings, the implementation of Project SHIELD (Securing Highly Important Educational Learning and Documentation Records) is recommended as a strategic intervention to institutionalize disaster preparedness, strengthen records protection practices, and ensure the accessibility and continuity of vital school records before, during, and after disasters.
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