Since ages, schools have been saving all their data over pen and paper and storing them in the lockers and cabinets. The data stored in this way is called paper storage and is prone to deterioration over time. Moreover, it takes a lot of space to store data in this manner.

But why is data security important for schools?

Before moving on to the main aspect of this blog let us understand why a school needs security for their data.  Any school while storing data will have sensitive data of both the employees (be it teaching or non-teaching) and the students, information varying over like medical history or personal contact details like home address and contact details of the family and even the bank details. If by mistake any malware enters the database it can easily leak such sensitive information. It is not always the problem will arise from the software of hardware of the school but any personal device if connected to the school’s network which is damaged may disrupt the information.

To avoid such kind of mishaps, a school must take the school should protect the academic details, the personal information of both employees and the students. So these are some questions we have compiled so that a school can ask while purchasing school management software.

• How and where is the data stored?

How the school stores the data whether it is online and if online is it stored on cloud hosted by the school or is it given to a third party vendor which can have serious implications for the data privacy. School should ask where the information is stored and how is the company taking measures to protect the sensitive information.

• Who all has access to the data?

Access to the student’s and employee’s data should be restricted to only the school admin and some selected staff members. But if they are trusting a third party vendor the data may be accessible to a wider public. The school should have the rights to decide who can access their personal information.

• What is the policy for data backup?

The school has the right to know how occasionally the data is being backed up in case there is a loss or the problem of data corruption.

• Documentation and legal formalities

It is very important for any school to sign a policy with the school ERP provider and decide on all the terms and conditions for the prevention of data theft and complete security of the vital data.

So with the above following questions, you can go and seek the answers from your School ERP provider and ensure the security of your personal data. Gaining this knowledge will only help you build trust over your school ERP providers and maintain healthy relations.