Digital Transformation for a Clean Sustainability Footprint in Basic Education

The pursuit of a clean sustainability footprint within the basic education sector is an emerging priority in the context of global environmental and economic challenges. In many schools, current record-keeping, assessment, and communication systems rely heavily on manual processes, including handwritten student records, paper-based assessments, and printed letters for communication. Even where digital tools such as spreadsheets exist, their adoption is limited to basic functions, with significant underutilisation of advanced features. This paper investigates how digitisation can reduce resource wastage, streamline administrative processes, and promote sustainable operational practices in basic education. Using a qualitative case analysis of a representative basic school, the study identifies operational inefficiencies, including unnecessary expenses on underused software, redundant manual messaging, and costly third-party report generation. The findings highlight the environmental and financial implications of continued reliance on paper-based systems, as well as the transformative potential of adopting integrated digital solutions. Recommendations include the implementation of scalable educational technology platforms, staff capacity-building in digital literacy, and the development of policy frameworks to support sustainable digital transformation. The study contributes to the literature on sustainable education management by demonstrating that digitisation not only reduces the carbon and material footprint but also enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness in resource-limited educational contexts.