Digital industry appeals to the Ministry of Education: Thousands of devices in schools require systematic management
Thousands of computers and laptops without centralised oversight could lead to public investments being wasted and even increase the risk of cyberattacks, warns the Digital Poland Association. The organisation is calling on the Ministry of National Education to allocate funding for the systematic management of the equipment delivered to Polish schools in recent years.
As experts from the Digital Poland Association point out, the scale of digitalisation in Polish education in recent years has been unprecedented. Thousands of computers, laptops, tablets and network devices have been delivered to schools and other educational institutions, with further investments already under way or planned. Modern equipment is increasingly becoming an essential tool for teachers and students, while IT infrastructure is now one of the foundations of schools’ day-to-day operations.
According to the digital industry, however, the expansion of technological infrastructure in schools must be accompanied by a change in how it is maintained and supervised. Existing methods of inventory tracking and device management do not always reflect the scale and distributed nature of the infrastructure, the diversity of technologies involved or the growing cybersecurity requirements. The Digital Poland Association warns that the problem will only grow with each new programme aimed at equipping schools with digital devices.
“Equipment alone is not enough. If we invest significant public funds in the digitalisation of education, we must also ensure that these investments are properly protected and used effectively for many years. Without systematic management, hundreds of thousands of computers and other devices may become a source of unnecessary costs and risks. That is why it is essential to allocate budgetary resources that will enable local authorities to effectively manage all the modern equipment that has already been delivered, and will soon be delivered, to schools,” says Michał Kanownik, President of the Digital Poland Association.
Buying equipment is only the beginning
“A computer or tablet needs to be properly configured, updated, secured and serviced. Schools also need up-to-date information about where each device is located, what condition it is in and whether it can continue to be used safely. With a growing number of devices distributed across thousands of institutions, maintaining this level of oversight using traditional methods alone is becoming increasingly difficult,” Michał Kanownik notes.
In its letter to the Ministry of National Education, the organisation points out that modern IT infrastructure management solutions make it possible, among other things, to continuously monitor assets, automatically collect information about device configurations, analyse changes, manage updates and plan the entire lifecycle of equipment. Such solutions also facilitate reporting for audits and inspections and support decisions on whether devices should be repaired, upgraded or replaced.
According to experts, this is important not only from the perspective of ensuring the efficient use of public funds, but also for cybersecurity. The more devices connected to school networks, the more important it becomes to have accurate information about their configurations, current software and potential vulnerabilities. A lack of adequate oversight may result in some equipment remaining unpatched, being used inefficiently or becoming a weak point in a school’s IT infrastructure, the Digital Poland Association warns.
School digitalization needs to enter its next stage
Representatives of the digital industry emphasise that the challenge of managing school IT infrastructure did not emerge only with the latest investments. For months, the industry has been pointing out that as the number of devices in schools grows, a model for their long-term maintenance and management needs to be established.
“This is not a new issue. For months, it has increasingly been raised in discussions with representatives of the digital industry and the education sector. In July, following consultations, we prepared a plan for the next stage of school digitalisation. Equipment management is an important part of that plan,” Michał Kanownik says.
The document was submitted to Minister of National Education Barbara Nowacka. The Digital Poland Association argues that, as programmes to modernise schools’ technological infrastructure continue, local authorities and educational institutions should also be provided with funding that enables them to professionally manage the infrastructure purchased with public funds.
According to the organisation, this requires a broader change in the approach to the digitalisation of education.
“Success should not be measured solely by the number of computers, laptops or tablets delivered to schools. What happens to these devices afterwards is equally important: how long they remain operational, whether they are regularly updated and secured, how effectively they are used, and whether schools have the tools to manage them throughout their entire lifecycle,” emphasises the Digital Poland Association expert.