What is Green Information Technology (Green IT)?

Preserve the environment through the adoption of techniques and behaviors friendly to the environment. In other words, are the products, practices, technologies and services that applied in such a way that doesn't influence the natural environment and resources in any negative manner. This includes the manufacture and use of computers, mobiles and other hardware and software tools with high efficiency taking into account maintaining of a clean environment free from non useful technological wastes.

Ministry of Education Application for Green IT

Out of concern for the environment in various areas in kingdom of Bahrain, Ministry of Education has taken certain steps as solutions to green IT, including:

• Implementing technologies that are energy efficient, besides enforcing intelligent usage of those technologies such as the use of “smart computing”.
• Implementing environmentally safe and friendly methods in disposing electronic devices and accessories, this will include for instance the recycling of old computers and unwanted devices.
• Use laptop, flat screen, multifunction device for copying, faxing and scanning, in order to reduce energy consumption.
• Converting most of MOE services into E-Services.

Ministry of Education has paid special attention to the initiative of the shifting to electronic services - eGovernment services - It seeks to use eco-friendly in terms of reducing paper usage and reducing waste of electrical energy, this has achieved the following:

• Reduce paper consumption and thus reduce the pollution caused by paper transactions.
• Reduce the need to establish centers and offices of the ministry which provides service to the public.
• It has radically lowered the transmission of members of the community to the ministry and thus reducing harmful emissions, which will save a lot of energy consumed in the use of public transport and reduce congestion in the streets.
• Raising the level of client satisfaction.
• Financial savings.

Example 1:

One of MOE essential and popular e-services is the “Issuing copies of students certificates”. Graduated students from secondary schools require a graduation certificates which are issued by MOE, these certificates are necessary to those students to join colleges and universities. This e-service allows the students to request their certificates online.

The advantages:

1. No need to visit the Department of Examinations to fill the application form (graduation certificate or transcripts).
2. Paper consumption has been radically reduced (application form + copy of passport + payment receipt).
3. Avoid congested streets and waiting in long queues.
4. Paying the fees online.
5. The number of MOE staff required to handle the applications has been radically reduced.
6. Students' certificates are delivered to their addresses via snail mail.
7. A mobile version of this e-service is available on mobile as well; students can request their certificates by accessing the e-service on EGOV mobile portal via their mobiles.

The Project of “Business Process Management (BPM) and Document Management System (DMS)”

The Ministry of Education has taken a pioneer initiative towards applying an electronic management of documents and archives, as part of the project of “Business Process Management (BPM) and Document Management System (DMS)”, which aims to achieve an electronic and paperless working environment. The project implementation involves the deployment of the following:

• Business Process Management (BPM)
• Document Management System (DMS).
• Correspondence System

The Project Objectives are:

• Reducing the overall paper consumption. Currently the amount of daily paper consumed by the Ministry of Education is about 2000 paper; this is consumed among outgoing paper-based messages, incoming paper-based messages, and other paper-based transactions. The DMS will reduce this overall paper consumption by 80%, thus contributing greatly in reducing the pollution caused by all this paperwork.
• Provide a safe and easy way to retrieve documents, manage their flow, and reduce their recurrence or redundancy.
• Provide the time needed for the completion of the work.
• Promote cooperation and integration among the staff of Ministry of Education.
• Improve the business process control and tracking electronically.
• Provide tremendous financial savings.