CASE STUDY: Lubuto Trust College sets Google standard for it’s student and lecturers data storage, security and privacy as new ICT curriculum in Zambia is implemented

Institution: Lubuto Trust College

Region: Sub Saharan Africa, Zambia, Chingola

Type: Teacher Training College

Size: 300

The challenge: with limited number of desktop PCs in the CAMARA sponsored computer lab, the ratio of computer to students is almost 1:15. This poses a personal and institutional data privacy, security and storage risk for the students and staff.

As an alternative to mitigate this high level risk students and staff opted to transfer their files to everything from USB flash, external hard drives to mobile devices such as memory cards on Smartphone’s, laptops and tablets.

However, even with all these alternatives the risk of losing data still remains through loss, theft and damage of devices. Also the frequent power load-shedding by ZESCO can seriously adversely affect equipment especially where there is no surge protector as with most school computer labs (Lutco has one in place)

The use of USB flashes carries the risk of viruses obtained from other computers. Unless the anti-virus is constantly and diligently updated daily via internet connection , you can expect the PC to be infected and re-infect. Once a pc is infected it may require formatting (erasing everything and re-installing operating system and all other software which doesn’t come cheap)As for privacy , any work saved on the computer by one student or staff can be "accidentally" deleted by another without trace or retrieved at great cost.

The Solution:

The College's ICT Lecturer, a Google web Academy Qualified Online Professional recommended Lutco apply for a Google for Education account which Google provides for free to all qualifying educational institutions in Zambia.

In less than 24 hrs Google approved the application on 25th February 2014. The account @lubutotrustcollege.com was setup and users began to be allocated.

The Result:

The admin now control the personal and institutional data privacy, security and storage for each student and staff even with the high ratio of student to PCs in the computer lab through the chrome management that comes with Google apps for education and administered on any Pc or mobile device with chrome browser installed.

Storage limitations are overcome with the 30GB upgradeable Google drive storage that is freely available for each user. Now there is no need to store files on the pc, laptops, flashes or phone memory cards. Documents are securely freely stored by Google.

Privacy is achieved through Individual password protected sign-in to access private files they have saved in their own Google drive. Students and staff can use any pc any where connected to the internet to access their lubutotrustcollege.com account. No need to in the computer lab.

Security is enhanced by mobile device policy which allows for remote data wipe or device PIN reset in the unfortunate event of loss, or theft of a users mobile device.

Access to account is by a standard institutional email address @lubtotrustcollege.com and individually generated password

Unlike when students could only access the files on the pc in the computer lab now they can create, edit save and share files from anywhere and on any Smartphone, laptop or pc way from campus.

Included in each account are over 25 Lutco authorised educational software from the Google Chrome web store available for use by the staff and students ideal for grade 1-7,8-12 and teachers.

Google apps for education is Lubuto Trust College standard for personal and institutional data privacy, security and storage for to implementing the new ICT curriculum in Zambia.

Author: Jerry Sakala- ICT Lecturer LUTCO

Google Web Academy Qualified Online Professional

Google for Education Educator

Owner Net Innovation, A Google apps solutions provider

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