CHAPTER ONE
1.1    INTRODUCTION
Clearance is a status granted individuals, typically members of Military, University graduates and Employees of Government and their contractors, allowing them access to classified information, a clearance by itself is normally not sufficient to gain access. The organization must determine that the clearance individual has a “need to know” the information.
Clearance is the process of determining and negotiating any permission that are needed to melu de use of someone else’s intellectual property in creative project. Part of that process include
  Determining the owner(s) of the intellectual property.
  Contacting the owners and negotiating on agreement.
  Administering written contracts
  Handling other issue related to the use and licensing of intellectual property.
No one is supposed to be granted access to classified information solely because of rank of position, but once a clearance is obtained access to certain information or gain of freedom will be granted.
The advantage of e-learning are many, as people of all ages and backgrounds become increasingly reliant on the internet for information, online learning become more convenient and efficient here, the need for an online clearance system. The skills needed to access and comprehend information online are becoming common place, and the flexibility of wireless computing means that any coffee shop, airport or bedroom can become a classroom online courses, registration, clearance have few, if any scheduling restrictions, well-integrated learning resources and competitive degree option, with an online clearance system. The changing online college landscape now includes online clearance system, traditional undergraduate and general studies programs. However career learning is still the most popular online training option.
1.2    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Caritas University, Amorji-Nike Enugu is a private university approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria on Dec. 16 2004. It was officially opened on Jan. 21 2005 by the Federal Ministry of Education, Pro. Fabian Osuji. It is the second catholic university founded by Rev. Fr. Prof. EMP Edeh Cssp. The school is managed by the congregation of sisters of Jesus the savior, a religious congregation of nuns founded by him. The school operates the faculty system and presently has four faculties: Natural Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Management and Social Sciences.
In university like Caritas, there is need for automated method of keeping data, more so a greater need for an online clearance system. This would a long way in alleviating the various problems and stress involved in the manual method of clearance. Moreover, the issue of delayed youth service as a result of mobility to complete the tedious manual process of clearance would be curtailed.
1.3    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The process of clearing students of a named institution CARITAS UNIVERSITY after graduation requires that the students must be cleared in their various departments and information units. Among which are:
  Sister’s Clearance
  Bursary Clearance
  Male Dean clearance
  Security Clearance
  Student Union Fee
  Departmental Due
Furthermore, for a graduating student to carry out his/her clearance from all these departments it normally takes a lot of time and a lot of processes and delay in clearing the student for youth service as well as collection of statement of results. Hence, it became imperative for computer software based online clearance system to eliminate the shortcoming of the manual system in place.
1.4    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of this computer software based online clearance system for the graduating student includes the following:
  To effectively and efficiently process students clearance.
  To  provide  a  reliable  and  transparent  system  devoid  of  personal inclination and interest.
  To provide borderless access.
  To ensure prompt clearance.
  To alleviate the problems and stress of travelling and queuing up of student during clearance.