Outcry over digital gate pass in schools

MBABANE – The installation of digital registration cards in some public schools has sparked sharp contention, with teachers and parents vowing not to cooperate with school administrations.

Some schools are rolling out mandatory digital registration cards as a security measure for pupils, despite not having obtained approval from the Ministry of Education and Training.

The scanner, to be installed at school gates, is meant to enhance security by verifying the identity of individuals entering the premises using unique biological characteristics like fingerprints or facial recognition.

Pupils, teachers, staff and recurring visitors can be accurately time-stamped and identified using finger-scanning biometric technology and attendance or check-in applications. Administrators then have an irrefutable record of the date and time of each person’s entry into the building.

Some parents have already been sensitised about the scanner and are being compelled to pay at least E200 per pupil to be issued with either a card or have their thumbprints scanned to grant them access to the schools.

Some parents fear that schools will use the system, intended for security purposes, to deny entry to pupils with outstanding school fees.

Mhubhe High School is one of the institutions that have already engaged parents, serving them with letters calling for the E200 payment.

A parent informed this newspaper that the school administration called parents to a meeting two weeks ago and consulted them regarding the scanner.

“There was an official, who was introduced to us as the one who will instal the gadgets. He explained the benefits of having a scanner at the gate, saying pupils who abscond school will now be identified and can be dealt with soon,” a parent said.

It was said that the school administration asked parents if they approved of the digital registration cards operating like biometric scanners and they opted for the biometric option.

“They had already explained the advantages of such a system, and the best thing to do was to accept it. We were then asked if we approved of the digital card or the thumbprint one. We took the latter because pupils usually lose their stationery, which means they can easily lose the cards,” said a parent.

More details in today’s paper.