ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

The field of information technology has improved tremendously in the past decade with the invention of all kinds of new technologies for example e-payments, e-learning, e-business, and e-registration to mention a few. In this technological era of education and doing business, information is considered to be an important asset for any academic institution. The availability of student’s data in an online database can help an educational institution to align its operation processes according to the needs of its students and stakeholders. The effective management of these data can help institutions reach out directly to their students and stakeholders and also streamline its activities (Isakowitz et al., 2018).

Organizations always want to make it easy and convenient for customers to pay, as such, they offer multiple choices of payment and media channels. For almost every business transaction, the simple act of collecting payments from customers is often quite complex. NACOS Due payments by students in the Nigeria Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) is been made through cash deposits to the head of departments (HOD) secretary desk, before being transferred to the associations account (Lwanga et al., 2017).

A well-designed payment infrastructure contributes to the proper functioning of organizations and businesses and also helps to eliminate friction in transactions. If the cost of a transaction exceeds the benefits expected from the business, services, assets and products might not even be exchanged. The availability of reliable and safe payment mechanisms for the payment of funds is therefore a sine qua non for the majority of economic interactions (Kokkola, 2010).

Web technology is growing at an extremely fast pace. It has been estimated that there is a new web page every minute. The ease of use, efficiency and quickness, search engines and international presence of the web has been drawing millions of users towards it. By considering the trend, it is necessary that higher institutions in Nigeria that mostly depends on her student’s tuition to operate provide a web-based payment platform for the students. Since the Nigeria Army College of Environmental Science and Technology (NACEST) is made-up of students from different states, and culture across the country (Nigeria), and their various student associations pay dues for the administration of their activities, it could be best if the payment system can be accessed through the internet. This system of cashless transaction is commonly called e-payment or electronic payment (Moertini et al., 2011).

Electronic payment (e-payment) is defined as a monetary transaction that occurs electronically as opposed to the physical exchange of money or checks. Tangible currency is eliminated and accounts are maintained electronically to reflect the effects of transaction. Electronic payments are categorized as stored account payments or stored value payments. Expectations are that, online transactions will continue to rise. As the number of internet transaction increases, more and more merchants are showing an interest in reaching customers through the web. There are various methods to implement electronic payment processing. However, the most popular payment method adopted is the credit card payment system (Abrazhevich, 2004).

The proposed system aims to develop an online dues payment system for the Nigeria Association of Computing Student (NACOS) NACEST chapter.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

The available modes of fees payment to the Nigeria Association of Computing Students (NACOS) NACEST chapter, have been through cash deposits at the head of department (HOD) office. This have caused long queues, students missing to sit for their tests and stress on the side of the secretary collecting the money among others. The problem is addressed by developing a system that enables students to securely pay NACOS due online from wherever they are using credit and debit card at their own convenience.

1.3     Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this research is to develop an online payment system for payment of NACOS Dues in NACEST chapter.

The objectives of the study are as follows to:

1. To research the existing system used in paying NACOS Due so that its strength and weaknesses are identified by making enquiry from the department and the association.
2. To automate the old system by enabling students to pay NACOS Due online from wherever they are using credit and debit cards.
3. To implement the designed system.
4. To test and validate the proposed system.

1.4     Significance of the Study

The simple act of collecting payments from students is actually quite complex and yet academic institutions want to make it easy and convenient for students to pay, so they offer multiple choices of payment types and channels. Therefore, this research proposed the development of an alternative platform that enables students (NACOSITE) securely pay NACOS Dues online from wherever they are using credit and debit cards. This will reduce the lengthy queues, and congestion at the HOD office for payments. Further still, the research will also help to reduce the number of students that currently miss sitting their tests while waiting to make payments.

1.5     Scope of the Study

The study focused on the development of a web-based system that allows secure online fees payment for NACOS Dues. The system will be used by students to pay NACOS dues online.

1.6     Limitation of the Study

The researcher faced some limitations during the course of this research. Time factor was the major factor as the timeframe for the proposed system was too short for extensive research. Lack of adequate finance to fund the researcher is also a constraint, as to outsource many data.

1.7     Definition of Terms

1. Automation: This is the use of control system such as computer to control and process data, reducing the need for human intervention.
2. Computer Network: Computer Network is a system that connects two or more computers together using a communication link. World Wide Web: World Wide Web simply called www is the most important tool of the Internet.
3. Databases: A systematically arranged collection of computer data, structured so that it can be automatically retrieved or manipulated. It is also called databank.
4. Dues: a payment or obligation required by law or custom.
5. File Transfer: Any kind of computer file can be sent via the Internet from one Internet user to another. Table of accounts on spreadsheets, design by a graphic artist, music sound files etc., can all be exchanged in this way.
6. Hyperlinks: Hyperlinks are highlighted words and phrase you find on web documents that you can click on as to jump to some other documents or Internet services.
7. NACEST: Nigeria Army College of Environmental Science and Technology.
8. NACOS: Nigeria Association of Computing System.
9. Offline: Disconnected from computer network; describes a computer terminal or peripheral device disconnected from a computer network.
10. Password: This is a secret code that a user must type into a computer to enable him access it or its applications. This is composed of numbers, letter, special character or a combination of any of the above categories.
11. Receipt: a piece of written note that attests to a payment made to one another caring the amount paid and balance if incurred usually signed by both party or one end.
12. Record: is a document made or received in the course of a practical activity as an instrument or a by-product of such activity, and set aside for action or reference.
13. System: Set of computer components that is, an assembling of hardware, software and peripherals functioning together.
14. Web Brower: This is a special kind of software that processes hypertext make-up language (HTML) document. In other words, a web browser is a computer program that interprets HTML command to collect, arranged and display the parts of a web page.
15. Web Site: A website is a collection of many interconnected web pages organized by a specific college, organization company etc, containing web pages (good and commodities) on the Internet. Web site is stored on web servers. There are many webs site and thousands of HTML pages on each web site. A web site is a treasure of information and entertainment.