The establishment of a sustainable school information system in Vanuatu: A case study of secondary schools in the Republic of Vanuatu

Schools in the Republic of Vanuatu began using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the mid-1990s for learning and teaching. The rationale given then for using ICT was that it would improve learning and prepare students for the future work force. Over the years however, it was observed that the practice of integrating ICT into schools was not systematic and this led to the implementation of many school information systems (SIS) that could not be sustained over the long term. This research set out to explore factors that had an impact on the sustainable integration of ICT into schools in Vanuatu. The research used an exploratory case study methodology to examine ICT implementation practices in schools and factors in the school external context that had an impact on ICT implementation in schools. Sustainability literature was used to explore ICT integration into schools in other settings and to examine factors identified in these settings that were considered important to SIS sustainability in the Vanuatu school setting. The findings of the research revealed three broad categories of factors that impacted on SIS sustainability in Vanuatu schools: the first category was concerned with the importance of using standard information systems development methodologies and practices to implement and operate the SIS; the second was concerned with the importance of the school as an organisation within the Vanuatu school system to align the SIS’s functions to its strategic school objectives while at the same time adapting itself to accommodate the SIS; and the third category was concerned with the importance of taking into account the impact of external factors on the integration of ICT to schools. These include such physical factors as the remoteness of small islands, the contributions of the school stakeholder community to SIS development and support and the influence of Vanuatu traditional culture. The findings of the research have been used to develop a set of guidelines for the establishment of a sustainable school information system (SIS) in Vanuatu.