The ethical compass in the evolving school MIS sector

?A guide to operating with integrity

In our rapidly changing world, the commonalities of technology, education, and ethics have never been more prominent.

As the school MIS (management information system) sector navigates its way through unprecedented changes, how can we align our actions and decisions with acceptable standards of public life? By ‘we’ I mean educators, the MIS/etech space and senior leaders in education and also local government.

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In this latest article, we’ll unpack the recent developments and the guiding principles that underpin our professional practice in this area.

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A glimpse into the transformation of MIS over the past five years, has seen us witness something of a paradigm shift. Academisation, once a mere concept, is now the driving force in the school MIS sector. As traditional maintained schools give way, new challenges and opportunities arise for support teams navigating this terrain.

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Among the key takeaways are an acknowledgement that the education landscape is ever- evolving. The assiduous spread of academisation brings with it a need for adaptability in organisational structures and culture but also in terms of how schools acquire technology. For this reason, it is a strategic advantage to anticipate the future trajectory of educational establishment and the edtech space.

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Another takeaway from the past? years is the question of financial autonomy. Whilst diversifying revenue streams has always been a smart business move, the ethical implications of these choices have come into sharper focus.

We are dealing with schools that exist to support and develop children’s education. The reframing of schools as may be an inevitable by-product of government policy but it can usher in practices that have no place in a school. What’s more, a heavy reliance on supplier incentives could, unintentionally, compromise the core values on which public institutions are built.

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Talking of which, these ethical waters are difficult to navigate, especially when there are incidences of unethical practices, such as ?referrals or kickbacks. When the technology changes quickly, people get scared. One of the sources of their fear is unethical practices. You don’t have to be a Luddite to enter passionately into a debate about how schools acquire their tech, under what level of transparency regarding procurement and use of pupil data. The discussions around referral fees and kickbacks from MIS providers have sounded the alarm on the need for stringent ethical guidelines in decision-making processes.

If you’re still hungry, here’s another takeaway from recent debates around edtech and MIS. The Bribery Act of 2010 provides a clear legal framework regarding bribes and intentions to influence decisions. But this also begs the question, where do referral fees and kickbacks fit into the framework? Do they bolster public trust or erode it? Also, how does enshrinement in the law make for fairness at a local level? Step forward, the Committee on Standards in Public Life. This independent advisory body has consistently shone a light on ethical standards in the public sector. The committee serves multiple vital roles, from advising the Prime Minister on ethical issues, conducting broad inquiries, making impactful recommendations, to promoting the Principles of Public Life. These include selflessness & integrity, objectivity and accountability & openness. Holders of public office must act with the public interest at heart, avoiding obligations that could inappropriately influence their work. Furthermore, decisions should be made impartially, fairly, and based on merit, not bias or as a result of leverage. The public expect transparency. Every decision and? every action must be accountable and made in the public interest. At a local level, compliance officers will need to be an essential component in this process.

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These principles are not mere guidelines; they are foundational pillars. They apply universally – from those elected to public office to individuals in the private sector delivering public services. Their influence is deeply rooted across sectors, including government departments, universities, and public organisations.

Back to school – it is the time of year, after all. The dynamics in the school MIS sector serve as a powerful reminder of the inseparability of our actions, or decisions, and our ethics. As stakeholders, educators, tech providers, and public office holders, we have a collective responsibility.

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This is more than a call for ethical decision-making; it's an invitation to embody the principles that elevate public life. In this era of mass adoption of tech and shifting sands I education and society, let's ensure our guiding principles remain anchored in integrity, transparency, and the greater good.

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Financial decisions in the sector, such as reliance on supplier incentives, are likely to be under closer scrutiny for their ethical implications. This scrutiny is there to ensure impartiality throughout the procurement process, to minimise reputational damage and potential breaches of trust or destruction of a professional relationship. These professional relationships have often taken decades to establish. Indeed, discussions around referral fees and kickbacks have raised concerns about the extent to which these can be at odds with the notion of public trust or even worse, a contravention of legal safeguards, for example the Bribery Act of 2010.

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For the future of edtech sector, all stakeholders must practise ethical decision-making and transparency and ensure that their actions are grounded in principles that promote the betterment of society.

As you may have noticed, the future is happening. That may sound like a slogan for a tech company but the rapid adoption of AI is making it so. The challenge for all of us, then is to navigate the technological future ethically.

We are writing this story together, so let’s write it with our heads held high.