Digital Infrastructure and Procurement

 

Digital Infrastructure and Procurement

 

Digital procurement refers to the process of acquiring and using digital tools and services. 

Digital infrastructure refers to the physical resources, such as computer labs, the electrical supply, networks, bandwidth, etc. that are necessary to enable the use of data, computerized devices, methods, systems and processes.

 

 

When planning the Strategy the following factors relating to digital infrastructure and procurement were considered.

 

1. The Institution's Current Situation

• The policy and approach to the use of devices by students and teachers

The document prepared by the Ministry of Education on the use of devices was previously discussed with teachers and parents. In the new digital strategy, however, this information will be communicated to teachers, students and parents through digital platforms such as GSuite, emails and Whatsapp.

• Security Issues

Student and staff personal information is compartmentalized and stored on the Cloud and data servers such as Openemis. This allows us to limit access to personal information to only those persons who need it to perform certain tasks.

• Reliability of Internet, Labs, Infrastructure, Hardware and Software

There is reliable internet, labs, infrastructure, hardware and software. However, there are often power surges and hence an electrical issue at the school.

• Devices 

The school has laptops, desktops, tablets and Chromebooks that are adequate to meet the currents needs of staff and students.

2. Security Issues

An effective digital strategy involves proper data protection, that is, the protection of the privacy of others. This involves the safeguarding of personal and important information from loss and corruption. Such information includes, name, date of birth, examination results, grades, marital status, etc.

The Data Protection Act was passed on August 12, 2019, and came into force in March 2021. The purpose of the Act is to regulate the collection keeping, processing, use and dissemination of personal data and to protect the privacy of individuals in relation to their personal data. 

• Data Security Measures

Data is compartmentalized and stored on the Cloud and data servers such as Openemis. This allows us to limit access to personal information to only those persons who need it to perform certain tasks. Openemis is a management system introduced by the Ministry of Education. Protection of data is not organized at the school level. The GSuite platform is used for Cloud Storage. This ensures that data is properly stored, easily accessed and updated.

•  Mitigation of corruption form viruses, malware, etc.

The Avast antivirus was installed on all devices.  

Data protection measures used at the school include passwords, encryption, virus protection software, firewalls and shredding of hard copies of confidential information when it is no longer needed.

However, student login passwords for the GSuite platform are similar because students easily forget their passwords.

• Privacy Notice

Privacy information was previously discussed with parents and teachers. They were informed of how their personal information will be collected, used, stored, processed, updated and discarded and who will be privileged to the information. 

With the implementation of the digital strategy, the privacy notice will be sent to the teachers and parents at the beginning of the school year where necessary. The GSuite platform and emails will be used for this purpose.

• Cybersecurity, Digital Security and Digital safety

In the digital strategy clear guidelines are set on the safe, ethical and legal use of technology in schools. A list of sanctions are included to deter computer misuse. These will be posted in the Google Classroom and sent to students and parents via email.

Digital tools, such as Nearpod and Voki, are used so teachers can track student activity while completing in-class activities. 

 

3. Technical Issues

The technical issues involve all the software and hardware to be employed, internet connectivity and broadband, and the operating system or platform. Hardware refers to desktop computers, laptops, printers, video cameras, cellphones, smartboard, projector, the network, etc. Software refers to the applications/programs or digital learning tools that will be used to support effectiveness and efficiency in the educational institution.

• The existing hardware at the school is sufficient to meet the needs of staff and students. It comprises of desktop computers, laptops, tablets, Chromebooks, printers, a smartboard and projectors. 

• Internet access and bandwidth is also adequate for the needs of teaching and learning.  

• A wide variety of programs and tools are used to effectively and efficiently facilitate online learning. In the digital strategy software which are interesting and promotes collaboration will be incorporated. These include Nearpod, Quizizz, Google Docs and Jamboard.  

• Teachers are issued a laptop for use during the school year. These are usually handed in to be checked and updated at the end of the school year. Other devices are safely stored in the IT lab.

 

4. Infrastructure

• The electrical supply from the company is not clean. There are many spikes and drops in voltage. There is a need for improvement in this area. 

• The lab needs to be refurbished as it only allows for  didactic teaching. The current setup does not allow for collaboration or group work.

• Modems or extenders are currently placed in the most suitable locations for the best service. Changes are made as necessary. However, the distribution point can be problematic since it is wireless.