CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

A system, with numerous definitions can be literally seen in a computer way as a collection of the hardware and software components of a computer.

According to Stella C. Chiemeke and Franca A. Egbokdara (2006), a system is set of components that interact to achieve a common goal. In another sense, a system is a group of interrelated or interacting elements forming a unified whole.

A verification system as in this project is an application program used to verify that someone or something rightly and legally belongs to a collection, an organization or an individual. There are different verification system, notably address verification system, adult verification system and

card verification system to mention but a few.

Student verification system is used to know whether or not a student is or was a legal and rightly registered student. In this context, it is used to verify that a student belongs/belonged to an institution and to confirm that he/she is properly registered in a particular department running any of the institutions programme.

This student verification system (SVS), also known as DELSU eVerify is a window based system. It is an electronic and computerized means of verifying someone’s claim of studentship to an institution by means of their matriculation number (Mat No) being input, hence using an output clearly showing the truth or false of his/her claim.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In this modern age, computers have verified the cause of their existence. The advent of computers in our society caused a lot of criticism on the danger it poses on the society. Critics of computer and new

techniques express their fear on how computers will displace and replace all human skills thus resulting to mass unemployment. The presence of computer on virtually every field of today’s fast life has proved the critic wrong as the invention of computers and new technologies continues to create additional jobs for those who identify themselves with computers and new technologies. This make computes partner to human beings in any fields of human endeavour.

Over the past decades, students identification and verification has been a major problem in large institutions as documents, certificate and studentship can be forged at a great rate and easy way, using the computer negatively. Forgers fail to know that in this fast moving world, the computer has equally served as an aid to decision making, verification and authentication.

This is because of computers efficiency in terms of speed, accuracy, reliability, cost and security among others. In recent years, awareness has existed and created in people as it concerned the use of computer in verifying, authenticating and security activities either through web-based (internet) or window-based. Decision support system (DSS) and others system like management information system (MIS) and information system (IS) are used in organization.

Decisions are largely based on experience and principle. The value of every degree is the reputation of the institution and the students produced, hence, the greatest obstacle to any academic institution which is dishonesty and forgery has to be balanced with verification and authentication systems and processes. “In recent times, effort are being made to build intelligence into computer system, whereby the computer can be used to process large volume of structured and unstructured information for decision making”. Said Uzoka, 1998.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. The importance of authentic document and certificate can not be overemphasized as the reputations of institution are affected in every counterfeit or forged document or certificate.

2. To design and implement student verification system for Delta State University. The system will