SINGAPORE, Oct 25 — Students in Singapore using school-issued Chromebooks will receive a new device management application (DMA) designed in the US starting November while the app for iPad users will be installed by January next year.

The Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on yesterday that Chromebooks will utilise Lightspeed Systems, while iPads will run on Jamf.

For Windows devices, the existing management app, Blocksi, will continue to be used, The Straits Times reported.

"The new MOE DMA solutions are selected for their ability to meet core technology requirements and their compliance with the requisite security standards,” the ministry was quoted as saying in a statement by the Singapore newspaper.

"While no software solution is entirely foolproof, we have taken steps to ensure that the new MOE DMA solutions meet schools’ needs effectively,” it added.

The ministry said students with Chromebooks will have the Lightspeed Systems app installed automatically by the vendor by the end of November 2024, with no action required from parents or students.

According to The Straits Times, Jamf will require a guided onboarding process for iPad users in schools, therefore the January 2025 rollout.

The MOE terminated Mobile Guardian’s services at the end of August due to multiple incidents earlier this year.

In April, Mobile Guardian’s user management portal was hacked, leading to a data leak involving personal information of parents and teachers.

In July, over 1,000 students from at least five secondary schools due to human error in the app’s configuration.

Some students who were preparing for exams claimed to have lost their homework and even their class notes dating back several years.

The final straw was when Mobile Guardian was hacked again in August prior to its termination.

The DMA allows parents and schools to restrict screen time, control access to certain websites and applications, and ensure safe usage of devices.