Minister of Education

In a recent data breach, the Department Minister of Education inadvertently shared the personal details of more than 400 individuals. Education Minister Paul Givan has issued an "unreserved" apology to those affected by this incident.

Details of the Breach

The breach involved the names, email addresses, and personal comments of 407 people who had expressed interest in contributing to a review of Special Educational Needs (SEN) being conducted by the department. These individuals provided details about themselves, including their reasons for participating in the review.

Accidental Data Sharing

On August 1st, a spreadsheet containing this sensitive information was mistakenly emailed to another 174 people interested in attending workshops related to the SEN review by the DE. The recipients of this information have been asked by the department to delete the data and confirm its deletion.

Apology from the Department

In an email sent to those affected by the breach, the head of the review team expressed regret over the incident. "We are very sorry that this has happened and would reassure you that we are doing everything that we can to minimize any impact of this breach," the email stated.

Impact on Individuals

One parent, whose data was shared, spoke to BBC News NI, highlighting the sensitive nature of the information. "Some people may have given information about their own special needs or the diagnosis their children have received," they said. "It shouldn't happen as people involved were coming forward to try to help and improve the system. The SEN system already has trust issues with parents, so this is not a good start."

Department's Response

Minister of Education Givan confirmed that his department is investigating the circumstances surrounding the breach. "The department takes its responsibilities around data protection extremely seriously and we unreservedly apologize to all those affected as this should not have happened," he said.

Engagement with Information Commissioner

"An initial notification has been made to the office of the Information Commissioner regarding the data breach, and the department will continue to engage with them as they conduct their investigation. As our investigation continues, all those impacted, as well as the Information Commissioner's office, will be kept updated."

Conclusion

This incident underscores the importance of stringent data protection measures and the need for transparency and accountability when handling sensitive personal information. The Department of Minister of Education is committed to learning from this breach and Minister of Education taking necessary steps to prevent future occurrences.