A secondary school in Berkshire is set to trial biometric fingerprint scanning technology to keep track of pupils entering and leaving its premises and cut truancy rates.
Sixth-form students at Edgbarrow school in the town of Crowthorne will have their fingerprints digitally scanned and stored in a database in time for the start of the new school year this September.
Students will not be forced initially to take part in the trial, which will last a year, according to a report in The Guardian
The students will have to place their thumb in a fingerprint scanner whenever they enter or leave the school premises.
According to the paper some students are opposed to the plans, claiming that it will infringe their human rights, but Edgbarrow headteacher Robert Elsey said the school will be seeking the views of parents as well.
He told The Guardian: "All our sixth formers are being invited to take part in the pilot scheme but there is no compulsion to do so. We have spoken to students and received a positive response regarding the new scheme."
No one at Edgbarrow School was today available for comment.
A similar trial took place last year at St Andrews College in Dublin with a fingerprint-scanning registration system that automatically sent a text message to parents if their child did not turn up at school. Staff could also more easily monitor attendance using a secure website.
Teachers at the school said the system freed up their time to deal with more important issues than taking the register.
Talkback
My school's been using a fingerprint scanner since last year to get books out of the library, and a few people didn't really want to use it, but soon after the fingerprint scanner was introduced the library wouldn't let you use your card to get book out anymore, so your forced to use the biometrics because you need to get books out for different subjects.
:(
My childrens school has been using this system for a number of weeks. As a parent I have never been consulted as to my feelings on the subject, my son tells me the system is unreliable as he is often being mistaken for other children ( not the same one every time). This sounds a little like big brother gone mad to me.
Hi I am very surprised that your were not consulted regarding the systems installation!!
Could you please tell me if it’s the same miss-identity every time your son’s finger print (brings up the wrong identity?) Your help would be appreciated as would any further information on how the system if performing
Regards
they are a bit dubious unless you have a very high end one i have brocken laptop biometrics with a jelly baby before.