Data theft is a serious concern nowadays and it can happen anytime, anywhere. Offenders in the hunt for personal sensitive information try to find them from every possible source. Schools are one of their most preferred targets because they are a huge source of data. While schoolchildren don’t have bank statements or credit card bills, their school documents do contain vital information including their name, address, date of birth, social security number, etc. In fact, in each school or academic institution, there is a huge turnover of individuals passing through the system leaving a major paper trail.
This leaves the schools with the headache of protecting their data. An increasing number of schools around the world now use a document shredder to prevent their sensitive information from being stolen and misused. Having their own in-house document shredder is the best possible solution because it is cost-effective, and the data is destroyed within the school premises by its own staffs.
Often times, schools don’t have much idea about which documents they should destroy. To help them make an informed decision, a list of items to be shredded is mentioned below.
Student Records:
This is the primary form of data available with all schools, colleges, and universities. After a certain time period, these details are no longer required. If you are in charge of a school administration, you may want to retain these records indefinitely. However, this policy has some serious potential issues. The most secure way of dealing with this paperwork is to shred them.
Financial and Admin Records:
This is another area of data in schools that needs careful consideration. To keep them safe from intruders, all the paper data should be destroyed using a shredder. If there is any specific data that you want to retain for the future, cloud storage can be an excellent option.
Staff Records:
All schools also need to maintain all records related their recruitment and personnel. While the records of the current staffs may be important, the older records should be destroyed securely using a document shredder.
Computer Hardware:
It is often observed that huge amounts of old technical equipment get accumulated in schools. Careful consideration is essential while disposing them. Please remember that old computers, hard drives, or laptops may contain sensitive information. Therefore, instead of dumping them with normal waste, an in-house shredded should be used.
Benefits of Document Shredding for Schools
- First and foremost, document shredding is one of the most cost-efficient ways to address data theft from schools. A secure shredding policy not only ensures that every piece of information is safe, but also ensures legal compliance.
- Unlike business organisations, schools have the additional responsibility of keeping children safe. This entire process involves handling a huge amount of data. This is why responsible handling of data is essential for maintaining a positive reputation for the school.
- Document shredding also allows schools to remain clutter-free and clear up space. This is important because none likes a workplace with an endless pile of outdated paperwork.
If you are looking to build a safe document shredding policy for your school, please get in touch with our experts at Mastershred.