A Desktop Application to Automate Student Registration, Processing and

Allocation of Grades in a Higher Learning Institution In Uganda.

By
Arinda Mark Alvin
sep21/dcomp/915u
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND ENGINEERING
A project proposal submitted to the school of computing and engineering in partial
fulfillment of requirements for the award of a Diploma in Computing at Uganda
Technology and Management University.

Supervisor
Mr. Simon Peter Kabiito
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
School of Computing and Engineering, Uganda Technology and Management University.
skabiito@utamu.ac.ug

1
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3
1.1 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Problem ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3.0 Objectives ................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3.1 General Objective ................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3.2 Specific Objective .................................................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Research Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 4
1.5.0 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.5.1 Geography .............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.5.2 Technical................................................................................................................................................. 4
1.5.3 Time ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.6 Justification ................................................................................................................................................... 5
1.7.0 Significance ................................................................................................................................................. 5
1.7.1 To Academia ........................................................................................................................................... 5
1.7.2 To research ............................................................................................................................................. 5
1.7.3 To the industry ........................................................................................................................................ 5
1.8 Conceptual Framework .................................................................................................................................. 6
2.0 Literature....................................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 An academic registrar ................................................................................................................................ 7
2.3 Studies regarding automation of student registration and grading ............................................................. 7
Policy-Driven Academic Result Computation and Transcription: Ritman University Case ...................................... 8
2.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 8
3.0 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................. 9
3.1 Gather requirements needed for the algorithms for student registration and grading. ............................... 9
3.2 Design a model for student registration and grading. ................................................................................. 9
3.3 Code and program the system prototype. .................................................................................................10
3.4 Test and debug the system prototype. ......................................................................................................11
References .........................................................................................................................................................12

2
1.0 Introduction
The process of student registration and allocation of grades is manual or semi-automated in Uganda.
With the large number of student admissions in institutions of higher learning, processing of grades and
registration becomes tiresome and tedious for the registrar when performing administrative tasks to
serve students [1].

1.1 Background
In the contemporary educational landscape, the demand for efficient and streamlined administrative
processes within higher learning institutions has become increasingly apparent. In Uganda, like many
other countries, student registration, processing, and grade allocation are critical aspects that
significantly impact the overall academic experience and institutional effectiveness. However, the
current manual and paper-based systems [2] used for these tasks often lead to inefficiencies, errors, and
delays in managing student records and academic assessments.
While traditional methods have been relied upon for years, they are no longer adequate for the growing
student populations and the demand for accurate and timely data management. Gaps in the existing
system have been identified, where manual data entry and processing create a cumbersome workload
for administrative staff, leaving room for errors and data discrepancies. [1] Additionally, the lack of real-
time updates and accessibility to student records can hinder decision-making processes, academic
planning, and timely interventions for struggling students.
Addressing these gaps through the proposed desktop application holds immense significance for the
higher learning institution [3]. By automating the student registration process, the institution can
enhance efficiency and reduce administrative burden, allowing staff to focus on more value-added tasks.
Moreover, a digital system for grade allocation will ensure fair and consistent evaluation practices,
promoting academic integrity and enhancing the credibility of the institution. The implementation of
this automated solution will not only streamline administrative tasks but also positively impact students'
learning experiences. Faster and more accurate processing of grades will enable students to receive
timely feedback on their performance, fostering a conducive learning environment. Additionally, the
application can offer personalized insights into individual academic progress, enabling early intervention
strategies for students in need of support [3].
The rationale behind this proposed project lies in its potential to revolutionize the institution's
operational framework, improve overall efficiency, and elevate the academic experience for both
students and faculty. Moreover, this application aligns with the broader national goal of leveraging
technology to enhance educational practices in Uganda, fostering a culture of innovation and
adaptability within the academic community. The primary hypothesis of this study is that the
implementation of a desktop application to automate student registration, processing, and grade
allocation will lead to increased administrative efficiency, reduced errors, enhanced academic planning,
and improved student performance. By addressing the identified gaps in the current system, we
anticipate a more robust and user-friendly administrative platform that will benefit all stakeholders
involved in the higher learning institution's academic processes.

3
1.2 Problem
Manual and time-consuming student registration, processing, and grade allocation in higher learning
institutions in Uganda hinder administrative efficiency and result in errors and delays.

1.3.0 Objectives
1.3.1 General Objective
To develop a desktop application to automate student registration, processing, and grade allocation in
higher learning institutions in Uganda and improve administrative efficiency and accuracy.

1.3.2 Specific Objective

 To gather requirements needed for the algorithms for student registration and grading.
 To design a model for student registration and grading.
 To implement the system.
 To test and validate the system.

1.4 Research Questions

1. How will the desktop application software secure students grades from malicious attacks?
2. Who will use the software in case the institution lacks or has a different administrative employee
rather than an academic registrar?
3. How often will the software need to be updated or upgraded depending on the university policy?

1.5.0 Scope
1.5.1 Geography
The proposed development of this desktop application software is limited to registrar administrators or
employees of a higher learning institution in Uganda since majority of evidence suggests that there is
need for automation [2].

1.5.2 Technical
Works of authors [1] [4] [3] [5] all employ the use of a web based technology whereas the proposed
project is tailored to be used only as a desktop application on either Windows OS, Mac OS or Linux OS.
Since desktop machines will have more system resources at runtime which the web server may not have
due to constant requests from high internet traffic.

1.5.3 Time
Collection of information and coordination with registrars on how best they would like the software to
be or features they may want the software to contain will take at least less than one month and
development of the prototype will take at least every month for less than three months because of the
use of rapid prototyping in development.

4
1.6 Justification
Using a web based system may be convenient and approachable as authors of [1], [4], and [3] stated but
this comes with a lot of limitations such as in cases where there is heavy traffic towards the web servers
that also run automation software in the backend. This will slow down the web server and increase on
the system overheads. A better optimized solution is to separate those two entities or functions where
by the automation software is standalone on a desktop machine while the web server is free to route
large chunks of student traffic without allocating system resources to any backend software other than
the web application. This approach would be more secure and cost effective because the automated
software that handles student grading and registration is installed on a desktop machine probably that
designated to the academic registrar which adds some level of security from web application attacks and
that would save the administrators of higher learning institutions monthly fees paid for increased level
security of the web application paid to the hosting company.
It is also not limited to the user since institutions with or without distance learning options or any school
management system can use the software on their registrar’s work station.

1.7.0 Significance
1.7.1 To Academia
This application is of great significance to academia as it streamlines administrative tasks, enhances
efficiency, and reduces manual errors. It simplifies the registration process, ensures timely grade
allocation, and provides valuable insights for academic planning and decision-making. Ultimately, it
improves the overall educational experience and empowers both students and faculty with a more
streamlined and effective system.

1.7.2 To research
A desktop application to automate student registration, processing, and allocation of grades in a higher
learning institution in Uganda holds significant importance for research studies since its automation
ability ensures accurate and consistent data handling, improving the reliability of research outcomes and
enabling researchers to draw more precise conclusions.
Comparative Studies. The application's standardized data management facilitates cross-institutional
comparisons, empowering researchers to draw insights and comparisons across different higher learning
institutions in Uganda. Overall, the desktop application significantly enhances the research process by
providing a more efficient, accurate, and scalable solution for student registration and grade allocation,
which is crucial for research studies in higher learning institutions.

1.7.3 To the industry

This would significantly benefit the education industry by streamlining administrative tasks, reducing
manual errors, improving efficiency, and enhancing data management. This digital solution would enable
faster registration, quicker processing of academic records, and seamless grade allocation, ultimately
enhancing the overall educational experience for both students and faculty members.

5
1.8 Conceptual Framework
In [3], user data is generated from user input from input boxes for the web framework where data
collected is used by the automated functionality. This approach is not far from similar to the desktop
version to be developed whereby student data is obtained from either offline or online excel
spreadsheets or from the higher learning institution’s web application.

6
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
Similar works of other authors in [1], [4], and [3] may stress the same importance of automation in a
higher learning institution but is limited to institutions that are semi-online or fully online and to internet
availability.

2.2 An academic registrar

An academic registrar is an administrator employed by university controllers and work is centered
around students and in different faculties. Tasks may include student registration or grading as stated
[2]. An institution may have one registrar to handle all students’ requests while others may have more
than one depending on the number of schools or faculties that the university has.
No matter the number of registrar’s the problem still exits that, work done is still mostly manual and has
challenges it comes with.
Registrars in Uganda [2] help to communicate internal university information that benefits students.
They also work on grading students after receiving results from lecturers. The registration of students at
the beginning of the semesters is also performed by the registrars and handling student queries
concerning timetables, lectures and exams.
Since most of the work performed by registrars is mostly manual and some semi-automatic as the
authors of [4] stated. Work is slow and turns out to be monotonous since repetition is done during
instances such as registration of students which may result to misspelled entries or grades [2] and yet
an institution may have thousands of students thus less efficient at performing the required tasks.

2.3 Studies regarding automation of student registration and grading

As the authors of [4] mentioned, their approach of automation was intended for Ritman University to
manage academic result computation and transcription. But the system is in no way different from that
of Bhila [3] whereby both are web based systems that interact with administrators of the institution
using login forms that are used for input and data stored in a relational database such as MySQL which
resides with the related HTML files and JavaScript files on the web server.
There comes a lot of risk such as malicious attacks when depending on the web server which is shared
by many other clients of the hosting company. A better way is to separate that functionality whereby
the automation software is used on the workstations at the administration office and the system is not
connected to the internet for security reasons, desktop apps are a better solution since they don’t need
to provide resources for web based traffic for the case of web servers thus making processing of data
faster and secure. Not only will the university ensure security of student data and grades but this system
will also reduce on the costs of running a web application from hosting fees to security fees.

7
A more clear comparison of the system from other works.

Policy-Driven The Benefits and Generic A Desktop Application to

Academic Result Procedure of Automating an Automate Student
Computation and Academic Student System in Registration, Processing
Transcription: Ritman Primary and Secondary and Allocation of Grades in
System characteristic
University Case Schools as an Impetus for a Higher Learning
[4](OTHER EXISTING Educational Technology [3] Institution In Uganda.
SYSTEM) (OTHER EXISTING SYSTEM) (MY PROPOSED SYSTEM)

A desktop application no no yes

for automation
Use excel yes yes yes
spreadsheets for
autonomous student
data collection from
lecturers
No monthly or annual no no yes
fees paid by the
university
administration since
the system doesn’t
need maintenance
Able to work or no no yes
function with no
internet connection
Can be used by any no no yes
institution whether
its online or
traditional classroom
based
Only accessed by the yes no yes
academic registrar if
he or she is
responsible for
grading and
registration as
presented [2]

2.4 Conclusion
Using a desktop application to handle crucial tasks such as automation would be ideal because of the
security that it comes with and cost efficiency unlike something dependent to the internet such as web
applications. So therefore this project is intended to cover most of the missing requirements inorder to
increase efficiency at the registrar offices in a higher learning institution in Uganda.

8
3.0 Methodology
3.1 Gather requirements needed for the algorithms for student registration and grading.
Conducting interviews with administrators, faculty members, and staff involved in student registration
and grading processes. Gathering their insights, pain points, and desired outcomes to understand their
specific requirements. Review existing processes by analyzing the current manual processes of student
registration and grading in the higher learning institution and identifying the challenges, bottlenecks,
and areas for improvement. Documenting the workflow and data flow to identify potential algorithmic
requirements.
Organizing collaborative workshops involving stakeholders, software developers, and domain experts to
facilitate discussions to define the desired functionalities, rules, and calculations required for student
registration and grading algorithms. Using techniques such as questionnaires, surveys, and prototype
demonstrations to elicit detailed requirements from the stakeholders and capturing their expectations
regarding data validation, grading criteria, course selection, and any specific rules or constraints.
Analyzing the available student data, including past registration records and grading patterns and
identifying any trends or patterns that could inform the algorithmic requirements, such as prerequisite
courses, credit calculations, or grade weightings. Considering any regulatory or institutional guidelines
that dictate student registration and grading policies and ensuring that the algorithms align with these
guidelines to maintain compliance.
Seeking feedback from stakeholders at various stages of development, allowing them to review
prototypes and provide input on the algorithmic requirements. This iterative feedback loop will help
refine and validate the algorithms. Gathering comprehensive requirements for the algorithms needed
for student registration and grading will ensure that the developed desktop application meets the
specific needs of the higher learning institution, streamlines processes, and accurately reflects the
institution's policies and regulations.

3.2 Design a model for student registration and grading.

Overview of the structure.

Main Registration and
grading Algorithm/
Student’s data in excel
Desktop Software
spreadsheets from
faculty of engineering
where continued
registration and grading Faculty New Student Admissions
will occur. registrar

Main New Student Admissions

Registrar
Student’s data in excel
spreadsheets from Faculty
New Student Admissions
faculty of business registrar
where continued
registration and grading
will occur.
9
Data collected will be in excel spreadsheets since it’s the most preferred system [2] of storing data that
is to be used for administrative purposes particularly the registrar. The excel sheets will feed data to the
software after they have been handed in by the individual lecturers to the registrar of each faculty or
the main registrar. A new student in engineering faculty will be admitted by the main university registrar
and shared with the faculty registrar where student grading and continued registration will occur but
will not in any way interact with a different registrar from a different faculty in the university.

3.3 Implementing the system.

Database Design. Create a robust database schema to store all essential information, such as student
details (name, ID, contact, etc.), course information (course code, title, credit hours), and grading
components (assignments, exams, projects). Ensure proper normalization for efficient data storage and
retrieval.
User Interface (UI) Design. Develop a user-friendly and intuitive interface for the application. Include
features for student registration, course selection, grade entry, and administrative access. Use clear and
concise forms to capture necessary data accurately.
Authentication and Security. Implementing secure user authentication mechanisms to protect sensitive
student data. Using encryption and proper access control to ensure that only authorized personnel can
access and modify the information.
Student Registration Process. Design a step-by-step registration process that allows students to create
accounts, submit required documents, select courses, and view their schedule. Enable automated checks
for prerequisites and course availability.

Student Report card

class python generation
file python file
Main
python file

Student’s
Student registration
grades python file
python file SQL
Database

10
Grade Management. Create a system to record and manage student grades. Include functionalities for
entering and updating grades based on different evaluation components (assignments, exams, etc.).
Calculate overall course grades and GPAs.
Automated Allocation of Grades. Implement algorithms to automate grade allocation based on
predefined grading criteria, such as weights for assignments, exams, and participation. Ensure flexibility
to accommodate different grading systems.
Reports and Analytics. Incorporate reporting features that allow faculty and administrators to generate
various reports, such as class rosters, grade sheets, and performance analytics. These reports can
provide valuable insights into student progress and performance.

3.4 Testing and validation of the system.

To test and debug the system prototype, the following approach will be taken:
Unit Testing: Conducting unit testing on individual components of the system prototype, such as
registration modules, grade calculation algorithms, and data processing functions and testing each
component in isolation to ensure they function as intended and produce the expected outputs.
Integration Testing: Performing integration testing to assess the interaction and compatibility of
different system modules and components while verifying that data flows smoothly between various
functionalities, and interactions between modules and do not result in errors or inconsistencies.
Functional Testing: Conducting functional testing to validate that the system prototype meets the
specified requirements and performs the intended tasks accurately. Test the core functionalities such as
student registration, grade allocation, and data processing against predefined test cases, ensuring they
produce the expected results.
Performance Testing: Evaluate the system prototype's performance by subjecting it to simulated
workloads and stress conditions. Measure response times, scalability, and resource utilization to identify
any performance bottlenecks or issues that need to be addressed.
User Acceptance Testing: Involve end-users, including faculty members, administrators, and students, in
user acceptance testing. Provide them with access to the system prototype and gather their feedback
on usability, functionality, and overall user experience. Address any identified issues or usability
concerns.
Error Handling and Exception Testing: Testing the system prototype's error handling capabilities by
deliberately introducing errors and exceptions to observe how the system responds. Verifying that
appropriate error messages are displayed, and the system gracefully handles unexpected scenarios.
Regression Testing: Performing regression testing after bug fixes or system modifications to ensure that
changes have not introduced new issues or inadvertently affected existing functionalities. Re-run
previous test cases to validate that the system behaves as expected and remains stable.
Debugging and Issue Resolution: When issues are identified during testing, employing debugging
techniques to identify the root causes and using debugging tools and logs to trace the flow of data and
execution, identify problematic code sections, and apply necessary fixes to resolve issues.

11
References

[1] J. Ahmad, K. H. Om and K. Aamir, "Performance Optimization of Higher Education System by using Secure &
Reliable ERP System," International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE), vol. VIII, no. 5, pp.
1-8, 2020.

[2] N. Grace, "Uganda Technology and Management University (CV)," 2010. [Online]. Available:
https://utamu.ac.ug/docs//cvs/gnakawunde/Grace%20Nakawunde%20CV.pdf. [Accessed 4 12 2022].

[3] T. Bhila, "The Benefits and Generic Procedure of Automating an Academic Student System in Primary and
Secondary Schools as an Impetus for Educational Technology," International Journal of Innovative Science
and Research Technology, vol. III, no. 11, pp. 1-7, 2018.

[4] O. K. Akputu, K. F. Attai, A. Usoro and A. O. Abiodun, "Policy-Driven Academic Result Computation and
Transcription: Ritman University Case," International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer and
Communication Engineering, vol. IX, no. 1, pp. 1-7, 2020.

[5] M. J. Torres, A. Pilao, A. M. Arboleda, S. J. Tapanan, C. Madali and R. Constantino, "Academic Office,"
Bestlink College of the Philippines Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, vol. II, no. 1, 2020.

12