Designing and Implementing the Data Protection Act (Jamaica 2020) in Jamaican Colleges and Universities: A Compliance Blueprint

Abstract

The enactment of the Data Protection Act, 2020 (DPA 2020) in Jamaica represents a transformative legal framework requiring all entities that process personal data, including higher education institutions, to adopt comprehensive data governance, security, and privacy practices. This Act establishes principles of fair processing, purpose limitation, and data subject rights, necessitating structural adjustments across organisational systems. This study proposes a detailed blueprint for institutional design and implementation of DPA 2020 compliance within Jamaican colleges and universities. It synthesises government guidance and internationally peer-reviewed literature on data protection in education. The framework covers governance, policy, technical safeguards, training, operational procedures, and monitoring, providing institutions that have not yet implemented the Act with a practical, legally grounded, and evidence-based strategy.