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Identity management

Biometric technology can help schools cut down on admin, truancy and bullying, but how do you ensure your system is on the right side of the law?

Fingerprint recognition systems are being increasingly introduced into secondary schools in an effort to streamline administrative systems and tackle truancy. But biometric technology is a contentious issue; some parents and campaigners claim it’s an invasion of a child’s privacy and worry what other uses this data may be put to.

Terri Dowty, Director of the Lobby Group Action on Rights for Children, says fingerprint technology in schools "encourages children to be casual about their biometric data".

However, Schools Minister Jim Knight claims that biometric systems can "speed up lunch queues, remove the need for children to carry money and take away the stigma of singling out those on free school meals. Moreover, they enable schools to register pupils more easily as they move from class to class."

Meanwhile, schools are left in the middle of the argument with the tricky role of implementing this technology and pacifying both parents and pupils. To help headteachers and governors, Becta has produced a guide to using biometric technology in schools. It outlines the current legal position and explains that, under the 2002 Education Act, schools have a general enabling power that enables them to introduce systems, which improve the administrative efficiency of the school, so legally biometric systems are OK.

However, you will have to comply with the 1998 Data Protection Act. This means that pupils and/or parents have to be given fair notice about the introduction of biometric systems and should be told why the data is collected and who will see the information.

There is no legal requirement to get the consent of parents before implementing biometric technology. The Becta guidance, however, advises schools to involve pupils and parents in the decision-making process and inform all stakeholders about which biometric technology will be used, what data will be stored, why it’s needed, how it will be secured and how long it will be kept for.

Biometrics in the canteen

One of the most common places to find biometric technology is in the school canteen.

Typically, parents pay in advance for school lunches by crediting their child’s account. Pupils are then identified at the till by their fingerprints and the cost of the food is deducted from their credit.

Another area of growth is in automating the attendance system. Pupils touch a fingerprint reader as they come in and out of school. This frees staff up from taking the register, monitors truancy levels and should prevent unauthorised access to school premises.

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This article originally appeared in the October 2007 edition of Active ICT.

• October 2007
  • The green classroom
  • Identity management
  • Learning Platforms
  • An instant hit
  • Safety first