SMART-Scholar: A Scholarship Management and Tracking System

Abstract

The manual administration of scholarship programs in Ormoc City has long been plagued by inefficiencies, including delayed processing, inaccurate record-keeping, and poor communication among stakeholders. To address these challenges, this study introduces Smart-Scholar, an automated scholarship management and tracking system designed to streamline workflows, improve data integrity, and enhance communication between LGU coordinators, applicants, and scholars. Developed using the Agile methodology, Smart-Scholar incorporates iterative feedback into its development cycle, resulting in a responsive and user-centric platform. The system features dedicated web interfaces and a mobile application, enabling real-time updates, large-scale data management, and task automation. Evaluation through user testing and performance analysis revealed that 93% of participants rated the system as user-friendly and time-efficient, with substantial improvements in data accuracy and operational transparency. Minor concerns, such as occasional email verification delays and interface learning curves, were noted. Overall, the study concludes that Smart-Scholar effectively resolves the core issues of manual scholarship administration and demonstrates strong potential as a scalable, inclusive solution to support the educational advancement of Ormoc City’s youth.