Public institutions or organizations use records in their day-to-day administration. Recorded information are created or received in the course of administrative and executive transactions, which form part of, or provide evidence of government businesses. Public sector employees are expected to manage records of their decisions, actions and transactions to support the smooth running of their organizations thus enabling information to be shared and to provide evidence that they have acted appropriately.

The Public Records and Archives Administration Act, 1997 (Act 535) was enacted to provide for the proper administration and management of public records and archives.  For this purpose, the act established public records and archives administration department whose responsibility it is to ensure that effective and efficient management of records in public institutions is maintained. The Department is committed to fulfilling its legislative requirements as well as working together with all stakeholders in providing and applying record keeping standards and international best practices.  It is within this purview that the Training and Research Division of PRAAD is best placed to provide the entire public service with the training and research needs, which are so vital to the well-functioning of the public services.

There is, therefore, a growing awareness of the need to manage public records professionally by records personnel, who are frequently taken through a periodic records management program annually for skills enhancement and awareness of changing trends and best practices. Even with the development of electronic technologies, the standards required for effective records keeping are becoming more and more sophisticated and it is only through the organization of the right training programs will staff in the field be equally updated and prepared for the tasks that they come with. In the final analysis, well-trained records managers and archivists are required to ensure the success of the administrative machinery with the public service and the Training and Research Division of PRAAD is best placed to perform such a function.