03/02/2026
The appraisal exercise is one of the most critical yet often overlooked functions in records and information management. At its core, appraisal determines which records have enduring value and which have fulfilled their purpose and can be lawfully disposed of. When done correctly, it protects institutional memory, supports accountability, ensures legal compliance and frees up valuable physical and digital space.
In theory, most institutions and organisations in Botswana have policies, retention and disposal schedules and guiding frameworks that speak clearly about appraisal. On paper, the exercise exists. But the real question we need to ask ourselves is whether appraisal is truly being carried out in practice, or whether it remains a theory that lives comfortably in documents while records continue to pile up in storerooms.
From my own observations during spare times, when I visit government organisations simply to appreciate what is being done on the ground, I often find records that should have long been appraised still occupying space in records management units and storerooms. Files that have outlived their administrative, legal and fiscal value remain untouched, stacked on shelves, floors and even in corridors. This does not only create congestion, but also increases risks of loss, misfiling, unauthorised access and poor service delivery.
The absence or delay of regular appraisal exercises has real consequences. It strains already limited storage space, makes retrieval difficult, demoralises records personnel and ultimately undermines efficiency within institutions. More importantly, it exposes organisations to compliance risks, especially where disposal is required by law but never executed.
Appraisal should not be treated as an optional or “when time allows” activity. It must be a continuous, well-supported process that involves management, records professionals and relevant oversight structures. Without commitment, resources and enforcement, records management units become warehouses of history rather than strategic centres of information governance.
If we are serious about good governance, transparency and service delivery in Botswana, then we must move beyond policies and start prioritising the actual implementation of appraisal exercises. The question is no longer whether appraisal is important, but whether we are willing to do the hard work of making it happen.
