Effective delivery of services today relies on speed and efficiency. Many organizations have embraced the use of Information Communication Technology to achieve efficacy in their service deliveries. State Board of Education has not lagged behind in service delivery through ICT . In a bid to offer excellent services to its stakeholders, the state organ has integrated its system to support automated service delivery. The board enjoys a higher rate of passing information and processing data. In addition, it stores its information in database systems that allow for easy updates, data retrieval and manipulation. However, there are several drawbacks associated with electronic services (e-services). Other than internal challenges of integrating the new system, the board stands great risks associated with the external environment.
External factors affecting effective use of e-services in the Board of Education are numerous. Foremost is the challenge of confidentiality. Information intended for a particular individual or group of persons should only reach its target audience. Confidentiality refers to limiting information disclosure and access to authorized users . Curtailing probability of information reaching the wrong people presents the board with a great challenge. Despite the use of authentication concepts such as user IDs and passwords, malicious people still have means of obtaining classified information. The need for confidentiality presents a quandary to the board that deals with highly sensitive information.
Deliberate threats to information security of organizations are not necessarily outsiders. Insiders pose the highest risk to information security. Those involved in these destructive activities leave the least evidence while causing the greatest harm. Internal deliberate insecurity threats extort information of a company, sabotage and vandalize information storage equipment. They also steal equipment and information for malevolence. Some conduct social engineering and reverse social engineering to harm organizations’ information. Identity theft also compromise security of information . Other intentional threats to information security include dangers to intellectual property, supervisory control, software attacks and data acquisition attacks.
Web access is the other challenge of the State Board of Education in implementation of e-services. Only 55% of the black American community has access to the internet in their homes as compared to 72% of whites . Research shows that a significant number of teachers do not have an interest in using the internet. This is a section of teachers glued to the old-fashioned ways of storing and accessing information.
A number of intended audiences of e-services do not have access to computers. A section of those with reliable access to computers does not have sufficient knowledge to help them enjoy all the benefits of e-services. This renders the plans to convert all operations of the State Board of Education meaningless. It is the greatest challenge that would require a lot of investment to solve. The board has to provide computers to facilities that lack them. Further, it has to conduct elaborate computer training so that all stakeholders are able to enjoy e-services.
References
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