MOE Census Privacy Policy

The Ministry is the data controller for personal data processed through the MOE Census. The Ministry determines why and how the personal data is processed and is responsible for compliance with applicable data protection requirements.

The platform and its data are managed by the Ministry's ICT Division and EMIS team. The ICT Division administers the platform and controls user access for approved Ministry purposes.

Data protection oversight, guidance and assistance are provided by the Ministry's Data Protection Officer.

The MOE Census collects personal data relating to academic and non-academic staff. The categories of information may include:

• Full name;
• Date of birth;
• Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN);
• National Insurance Scheme (NIS) number;
• Staff category or employment type;
• Post or position;
• School, institution, department, region or assigned work location;
• Work email address or official contact details, where required;
• User account or system access information, where required for platform use;
• Other staffing or census information required for Ministry planning and reporting.

The platform also collects non-identifiable student census information, such as the total number of students in a class, grade, school or programme area.

Student information collected through this platform is aggregate or statistical information. It does not include student names, student identification numbers, dates of birth, contact details or other information that identifies an individual student.

The Ministry will complete the required data protection review and update this Privacy Notice before introducing any change that would allow individual student personal data to be collected through this platform.

The Ministry collects and uses information through the MOE Census for official education administration and planning purposes. The information may be used to:

• Maintain accurate census information for schools and institutions;
• Support education-sector planning and decision-making;
• Support staffing analysis and workforce planning;
• Assist with school-level, regional and national reporting;
• Support resource planning and policy development;
• Verify staffing and institutional information submitted through the platform;
• Improve the quality, accuracy and reliability of Ministry data;
• Support monitoring, review and reporting by the Planning and Development Division;
• Manage authorised user access to the platform;
• Meet official Ministry reporting, administrative and accountability requirements.

The Ministry does not use personal data collected through the platform for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes stated in this notice.

The Ministry processes personal data through the MOE Census where the processing is necessary for functions conferred on the Ministry by law and for functions of a public nature exercised in the public interest, including education administration, planning, monitoring, reporting and decision-making.

Where applicable, the Ministry also processes personal data to comply with legal, administrative, reporting, audit, accountability and records-management requirements.

The Ministry does not rely on acceptance of this Privacy Notice as consent for processing that is necessary for its public functions. It collects and uses only the personal data necessary for the stated purposes.

Personal data collected through the MOE Census will be used only for authorised Ministry purposes. The information may be used to:

• Create, verify or update staff-related census records;
• Confirm school, institutional, regional or staffing information;
• Prepare reports and analysis for Ministry planning and decision-making;
• Support data quality checks and corrections;
• Manage access to the platform;
• Support authorised internal review, audit, reporting or compliance activities.

Reports produced from the platform use summary or aggregated information wherever individual-level personal data is not required.

Access to personal data in the MOE Census is restricted to authorised users who require the information to perform approved Ministry duties. Authorised users may include:

• Authorised officers in the Planning and Development Division;
• Authorised EMIS platform administrators;
• Authorised officers in relevant Ministry departments, divisions, regions or units;
• Authorised ICT or system support personnel;
• Authorised officers involved in verification, reporting, audit, compliance or planning;
• Other platform users specifically approved by the Ministry for authorised census functions.

Access is assigned according to role and official need. Authorised users must not access, download, copy, disclose or otherwise use personal data except as required for their assigned official duties.

The Ministry does not disclose personal data collected through the MOE Census to any external third party.

The data is managed internally by the EMIS team and may be accessed only by:

• Authorised members of the EMIS team;
• Authorised Ministry officers or units;
• Authorised users responsible for census submission, verification or correction;
• Authorised Ministry ICT and system-support personnel;
• Authorised internal audit, compliance, reporting or planning officers.

All internal access is limited, role-based and authorised for approved Ministry functions. It does not constitute disclosure to an external third party.

Authorised users must not disclose or transmit personal data through personal email, personal cloud storage, WhatsApp or any other unapproved channel.

The MOE Census collects student-related statistics for planning purposes, such as the number of students in a class, grade or school.

This information is statistical or aggregate and does not identify individual students.

Individual student names, identification numbers, addresses, dates of birth, contact details and other student personal data must not be entered into the census platform. The Ministry will update the relevant privacy notice and safeguards before any such collection is introduced.

The Ministry takes reasonable steps to ensure that personal data collected through the MOE Census is accurate, complete and kept up to date where necessary.

Persons responsible for completing or verifying census information must ensure that information submitted is accurate, complete and supported by official records.

Where an error is identified, the relevant authorised user must initiate correction through the approved Ministry process.

The Ministry applies appropriate administrative, technical and organisational safeguards to protect personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction, damage or disclosure. Safeguards include:

• Role-based access controls;
• Password and account controls;
• Access limited to authorised users;
• Secure system administration;
• Activity logging or monitoring, where supported by the platform;
• Secure backup and recovery procedures;
• Staff guidance and sensitisation;
• Secure storage and transmission controls;
• Restrictions on unauthorised downloading, copying, use or disclosure;
• Incident reporting, investigation and response procedures.

Authorised users must keep their login details confidential and promptly report suspected unauthorised access, error, misuse, loss, destruction or disclosure through the approved incident-reporting process.

Personal data collected through the MOE Census is retained only for as long as necessary for the Ministry's census, planning, reporting, audit, accountability and approved records- management purposes.

Retention and disposal are governed by applicable legal requirements and the Ministry's approved records-retention and disposal arrangements, in consultation with Documentation, Information and Access Services / Records Management.

Temporary extracts, working files and duplicate copies created for upload, validation or reporting must not be retained longer than necessary and must be securely deleted or disposed of when no longer required, in accordance with approved Ministry procedures.

Subject to the conditions and exemptions in the Data Protection Act, 2020, individuals whose personal data is processed through the MOE Census have the right to:

• Be informed about the collection and use of their personal data;
• Request access to personal data held about them;
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
• Request that processing be prevented, stopped or restricted where provided by law;
• Object to a decision based solely on automated processing and request information about such processing;
• Raise a concern or lodge a complaint about the handling of their personal data.

Requests and concerns may be submitted to the Ministry's Data Protection Officer using the contact details in Section 17. Individuals may also lodge a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner at www.oic.gov.jm .

The Ministry may request information reasonably necessary to verify the identity and authority of a person making a request before disclosing or amending personal data.

The MOE Census supports census reporting, planning, monitoring and human decision-making.

The platform does not make decisions about individual staff members solely by automated means. Reports and analyses generated through the platform are subject to appropriate human review.

Before introducing any automated function that may significantly affect an individual, the Ministry will assess the data protection implications and update this Privacy Notice where required.

Personal data processed through the MOE Census is stored and accessed in Jamaica. It is not transferred to, stored in, or accessed from any country or territory outside Jamaica.

Before introducing any overseas transfer, storage or access, the Ministry will complete the required data protection and security assessment, obtain the necessary approvals, implement appropriate safeguards and update this Privacy Notice.

The Ministry may update this Privacy Notice to reflect changes in the MOE Census Ministry processes, legal requirements, data protection guidance or the categories and purposes of personal data processing. The latest approved version will be made available on or through the platform. Where a change materially affects individuals, the Ministry will provide an appropriate notice.