As we commemorate World Education Day on 24 January 2024, as well as the African Union’s theme for 2024, which is the Year of Education, let us promote the ISO 21001:2018 Educational Organizations Management Systems (EOMS) standard. This standard provides a common management tool for organizations that offer educational products and services capable of meeting the needs and requirements of learners and other customers.

What is ISO 21001 EOMS

ISO 21001 EOMS is a stand-alone management system standard, aligned with other ISO management system standards (such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, etc.) through the application of a high-level structure. ISO 21001 focuses on the specific interaction between an educational organization, the learner, customers, and other relevant interested parties. It specifies requirements for an Educational Organization Management System (EOMS) when such an organization:

• Needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide, share, and facilitate the construction of knowledge while conforming with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Aims to enhance the satisfaction of learners, other customers, and personnel through the effective application of its EOMS, including processes for the improvement of the system.

To whom does this standard apply?

All requirements of ISO 21001 EOMS are generic and intended to be applicable to educational organizations that provide, share, and facilitate the construction of knowledge through teaching, training, or research, regardless of type, size, and the product and service provided. The standard, therefore, applies to the management system of any organization utilizing a curriculum to provide, share, and transfer knowledge. Although learners and educational organizations worldwide are the main beneficiaries of this new management system standard, all stakeholders (i.e., everyone) will benefit from the output of standardized management systems in educational organizations.

Who benefits from ISO 21001 EOMS?

Educational organizations that will benefit from the standard include:

• Pre-schools
• Primary schools
• Elementary schools
• Middle schools and high schools
• Colleges
• Universities
• Adult education providers
• Special education schools
• Vocational education and training providers
• Tutoring or coaching centers
• Training organizations
• Education/training departments
• Consultants
• Non-formal educational service providers

This is true regardless of the funding source, which can be public (subsidized), private (commercial), self-sufficient (internally generated revenue), or not-for-profit (sponsored). All interested parties involved in determining requirements will benefit from this International Standard (teachers, parents, governments, private sector players, NGOs, trade unions, etc.).

ISO 21001 EOMS is important because there is a critical and continuous need for educational organizations to evaluate the degree to which they meet the requirements of learners and other customers, in order to improve their ability to continue to do so. ISO 21001 EOMS focuses on the specific interaction between an educational organization, the learner, and other customers. Current educational processes are becoming increasingly focused on co-creation, where the traditional customer-supplier relationship is refined into a collaborative partnership. This standard will provide guidance on how to deliver quality in this challenging new environment.

The potential benefits to an organization of implementing an EOMS based on this International Standard are:

• Better alignment of strategies, objectives, and activities with policies
• Enhanced social responsibility by providing inclusive and equitable quality education for all,
• More personalized learning and effective response to all learners, in particular, those with special education needs and distance learners
• Consistent processes and evaluation tools to demonstrate and increase effectiveness and efficiency,
• Increased credibility”

References:

1.           ISO 9001:2015 QMS

2.           ISO 14001:2015 EMS

3.           ISO 45001:2018 OHSAS

4.           International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO Central Secretariat

By Alexio Maseka PCQI & ARSO Standardization Expert