Presenters: Rakkel Kanandjembo and Lukas Bock

INT4.1 Upgrade Benefits on Student Systems

Content1. Introduction

2. Highlights of the Int 4.1 in terms of the Student System

3. NAMCOL Registration Process

4. System Process Implementation

1. Finance System

2. HR System

3. Student System

4. Procurement System

5. Successes, Challenges and Lessons Learned

6. Recommendation

Introduction

Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL) provide learning opportunities for adults and out-of-school youth. The College offer TVET, Tertiary Programs and Secondary Education.

u Integrated Tertiary Software (ITS)

u Legendary Information systems were not integrated

u Standard software implemented

u Enhancement done to meet NAMCOL business processes

u Integrator 4.1 approved 2018

u Registration and Study Material Implementation

u Student Registration is successfully implemented

u Study Material managed outside the ITS and no integration with students

Int 4.1 Highlights on Student System

u Benefits in terms of NAMCOL processes was identified during the BAT testing

u Academic Structure, Application, Registration, Assessment and Examination

u Execution of activities have improved in terms of throughput because of the ADF task flows.

u Assesment Criteria

u Validation is now executed inside the page .

u Student Promotion

u Still to be implemented

u Mobile App

u Planned for implementation 2020/2021 FY

Int 4.1 Highlights on Student System

u iEnabler

u Mobile device friendly and user experience is remarkable.

u Student are able to apply and register using their smart phones and tablets.

u Jasper Reporting is much easier and faster to use than the legendary Oracle Discoverer. u General Benefits

u The search panel allows user to query with their own field selections through the advance search function.

u Search results are displayed in:

u table format with maintenance forms

u Maintenance forms are used to maintain data

u Data can be exported to excel for further use

u Outstanding Process

u Graduation

NAMCOL Registration Process - Operations

Point 1: Enrolment Officer

•Verification of qualifications, identification and fees

•Complete registration form

Point 2: Data Capturer

•Capture and update Biographical {SREGB-1}

•Confirm student number {SDTUDY-21}

•Update registration form with student number

Point 3: Cashier

•Verifies the money with the subjects captured on the form

•Capture the money on the system { FCTO-3}

•Print receipt

Point 4: Data Capturer

•Capture the Application {SNAPPA-3}

•Capture Qualification and Subjects {SREGAR-1

•Link subject to centre {SDSER-1 }

•Print Proof of registration {LSREG-5 }

Point 5: Material Distributer

• Issue study material {SDGUIS-4}

•Student sign both copies, one is retained.

System Process Implementation- HR System

ROLE OF THE HR SYSTEM IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS

u To recruit the enrolment staff

HOW DOES THE SYSTEM INTEGRATE WITH CROSS-FUNCTIONAL SYSTEMS

u The HR records are linked via the store agent (personnel number ) on the Store definition.

u The Student and HR records are linked via the subject and tutors.

ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

1. OPERATION

u Create biographical data for personnel

u Link to position – (Appointment Type)

System Process Implementation- Finance SystemROLE OF THE FINANCE SYSTEM IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS

u Raising of fees on student accounts

u Receiving the money to the student account

HOW DOES THE SYSTEM INTEGRATE WITH CROSS-FUNCTIONAL SYSTEMS

u Student accounts are linked to the Counter and Cashbook

u Stores are linked via the cost centres on the Stores definition

u Fee Structure is based on the Academic Structure on the Student System

ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

1. SETUP

u Define cost centres and accounts for each store

u Finance user access control

2. OPERATION

u Receive and process payments

u Print receipts

u Cancel and reprint receipts

u Daily Cash-ups

System Process Implementation- Student SystemROLE OF THE STUDENT SYSTEM IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESS

u The Student system is core for the student’s information in the life cycle of the student thus its role is register them.

HOW DOES THE SYSTEM INTEGRATE WITH CROSS-FUNCTIONAL SYSTEMSu The stores system integrates with the Student System through the definitions of the Stock Items and the

Subjects on the Academic Structure.

ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES1. SETUP

u Setup Academic Structure

u Define registration centres and link to activities

u Link subjects to store items

u Link stores to Offering types

2. OPERATION

u Register student qualification and subjects – link to agent is done on the qualification level

u Link student subject to service centers

u Print proof of registration

u Other activities: Cancelations, transfers

System Process Implementation- Procurement System (Stores)

ROLE OF THE PROCUREMENT SYSTEM IN THE REGISTRATION PROCESSu The stores system allows for the distribution and issuing of enrolment materials.

HOW DOES THE SYSTEM INTEGREATE WITH CROSS-FUNCTIONAL SYSTEMS

u The Procurement system is based on the Finance system, all stores are linked to cost centres.

u Procurement of stock items is done through projections for the next enrolment cycle.

u The stores system integrates with the Student System through the definitions of the Stock Items and the Subjects on the Academic Structure.

ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

1. TRAINING

2. SETUP

u Store definition (NAMCOL Store Structure)

u Stock item definition

u Stock Adjustment – (Opening Balances)

u Stock Transfer from Academic Warehouse to Regional Warehouses

u Stock Transfer from Regional Warehouses to the Centre (Registration Points)

System Process Implementation- Procurement System (Stores)…cont.2. OPERATION

u Training conducted for all operational stall members.

u Verification of stock transferred to stores, by means of extracting reports.

u Study materials are issued at the registration points.

u Verification of materials issued.

u Reconciliation of subject registration versus physical materials.

u Returns of study material upon cancellation

u Total number of students registered up to date is approximately 25 500 and counting.

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forward

Menus Used Challenge Response Outstanding Issues

Way forward

Procurement System: SDGUIS-4

Material Issue Number generated is not displayed to the user.

• Logged a call with ITS.• Programs

corrected by the developers• Issue number

retrieved by using FPMO4-2 and FPMO4-21

• Further technical investigation on the program.

• Created report on Jasper Reporting, lists transaction of SDGUIS-4 according to store and material issued per student.

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forwardMenus Used Challenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

Procurement System: SDGUIS-4

Document number not generated (RY).

• Logged a call with AdaptIT.• Request done via

FPMO4-24 • Emphasised the

linking of the agent at registration

None • Data Capturers had to ensure every student is linked to an Agent at the registration.

Procurement System:FPMO4-2

Materials returned wrongly - Could not be re-issue

• Further technical investigation on the program.

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forward

Menus Used Challenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

Student System: SDGUIM-1

Incorrect items linked to subject and the program could not allow for corrections

• Data update done on the database level

Further technical investigation on the program.

• The menu must allow user to make corrections to the data captured and saved.

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forwardMenus Used Challenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

Student System:SREGAR-1

Agent not selected and linked

• Same day removal of qualification and do a new registration• Cancel subject

registration, create new qualification, remove cancelation details, change primary qualification and execute new stock item request,

• None • Data Capturers had to ensure every student is linked to an Agent at the registration.

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forwardMenus Used Challenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

HR System:POAP-1

Could not extend the secondary appointments

• Change function back to forms

• Further technical investigation on the program.

• Thoroughly test new functions before production deployment

• The form to remain until the ADF is resolved

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forwardChallenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

Centre Administrators could not retrieve records for registration income and subjects according to specific cashier ID.

• No immediate respond was performed since it was not a show stopper but a reconciliation report incident

• Jasper Domain and Views to be created for the required data

• Create a report that links Cashier transactions to student registration before 2021 enrolment.

• Cash report to extract one complete report for centre registration for the whole period.

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forwardChallenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

Students registered at multiple centres and the system only allows a Store Agent to be registered under qualification. This lead to registration fees being raised multiple time for the same qualification

Student records with multiple registration fees will be cleared by Finance.

• None • Update the Fee Structure: Setup an event for registration on FSAM-1• Registration officer

must ensure that every centre registration is linked to the correct agent

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forward

Challenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

The NAMCOL definition of appointment type is different from the system requirements

Validation program was changed to ignore one type of appointment type.

Operation definition was set to null

• None • Maintain the change on the validation program.

System Process Implementation- Challenges and Way forward

Challenge Response Outstanding Issues Way forward

Centres connected via ADSL kept loosing connection

• Internet Service provider inform and requested to upgrade the lines.

• Manual registration

• Request to upgrade line still pending

• Upgrade centres to MPLS

• Oracle Forms ‘Freezing’ resulting in users having to close down their entire browser session.

• Oracle Forms JVM caching

• Java Upgraded to the latest• Stopped and restarted the

Java processes under the Control Panel when it start malfunctioning• Executed/run ITS instance

within a ‘private’ browser container

None • Replace all forms with ADF

Recommendations

The registration function should be changed to allow the agent to be captured at the subject level.

Enhance the system to perform validation on the money received and the subjects to be registered according to qualification

Change all the forms to ADF

Recruit registration officials according to functions and restrict access accordingly

Area Coordinators to administer the store agents allocations on the system

Registration process to be reviewed and strengthen controls

Train the Regional Managers on stock control and pulling the reports

Upgrade the Internet line

Thank You