Parents from Bayswater Primary School P&C call for review of third-party digital service use in WA schools

Parents from a Perth primary school are calling for the Education Department to review all third-party digital services used in WA public schools that collect children’s personal data. Bayswater Primary School’s parents and citizens group has raised concerns about the growing number of digital services requiring details — such as students’ names and birthdates — that parents were being asked to give consent for their children to use. Bayswater P&C wants peak parents’ body the WA Council of State School Organisations to lobby the department to conduct the review and develop a simple process for schools to tell parents about the services. The request, submitted for members to debate at WACSSO’s State conference later this month, said the department should also prioritise services that met high standards for child data protection and minimised data harvesting. Examples of third-party services that require schools to provide students’ personal information include apps such as Seesaw, Studyladder, Skoolbag, Reading Eggs, Mathletics and ClassDojo. Bayswater P&C’s preamble to the agenda item said parents worried about the long-term impact of data collection in schools on students’ privacy. “Parents and carers of students in WA public schools are increasingly asked to provide consent for their children to use a range of online third-party services to support teaching and learning,” it said. “A recent request identified 39 distinct third-party services being used, accompanied by over 60 associated documents relating to terms and conditions and privacy policies. “Each service presents unique requirements and complexities, making it difficult for families to fully understand what data is being collected and how it is being used or shared. These concerns are echoed nationally. “There is a clear need for greater clarity, oversight, and safeguards.” WACSSO president Pania Turner said data collection and digital privacy were growing concerns among parents. “Parents are more keenly aware of what is being put in front of their children, what they are connecting to and how it’s being used,” she said. “There’s definitely more of a sense of caution. “If a program is being used within a public school, it’s fair for parents to have the belief that it has gone through a rigorous process to make sure it’s safe, that children’s data is protected, there’s no on-selling of children’s data and it’s within a closed system so nothing can accidentally be given out.” An Education Department spokesperson said it undertook a risk assessment of online third-party services and provided schools with a catalogue to support their safe use. “When selecting third-party applications, schools carefully consider the educational benefits alongside any permission burden on families,” they said. “The department maintains a strong commitment to transparency in the use of third-party applications, with a consistent focus on safeguarding student safety and privacy. “Resources and templates are also provided to schools to support a clear process for parents to make informed decisions about their child’s privacy.”