User:rorynoonanDate:29/06/2013Time:08:46:16Edition:29/06/2013Satsatecho290613Page:1Color:
EE - V1
SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2013
EDITION NO. 34,951
Serving Cork for 120 years
School palm scan plan to beat truancy Thumbs up as kids graduate
Abbie Ahern followed by her brother Aaron as they make their way into the hall at Newbury House, Mayfield, for their pre-school graduation ceremony yesterday. Picture: Jim Coughlan
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29.06.13 Recommended retail price €1.50
A CORK secondary school could become the first school in Cork to use hi-tech hand print scanning technology to register pupil attendance.
Coláiste an Chraoibhin, Fermoy, principal Mr Christy Healy is “exploring the idea” of purchasing a sophisticated biometric palm scanner that can record pupil attendance and automatically contact parents by text message if their child fails to turn up at school. Almost 100 schools around the country, including 12 in Cork, are already using swipe card technology to record pupil attendance. However only six schools nationwide are using biometric scanning technology. None of these are located in Cork. The technology has been considered controversial to date due to data protection issues, particularly surrounding children. Mr Healy said he is investigating use of the system due to an obligation placed on schools by the Department of Education to record pupil attendance and notify parents of absenteeism. The National Education Welfare Board (NEWB) issued a statement to the Evening Echo saying that “there is an obligation on schools to record pupil attendance,” however it “does not endorse any particular form of technology in this regard.” Mr Healy says he has “not committed”
By MARIA ROLSTON
to purchasing any particular type of technology as yet. He has sought a quote for a biometric scanning system from Ivertec, a Kerry-based company that has been pioneering the technology. “We’re investigating an attendance system because the Department of Education is encouraging a system whereby schools contact parents if a child is not in school, or equally, if a child is late,” Mr Healy said. “I haven’t bought the system yet — I’ll have to know all the facts before I put my money on the table,” he added. Ivertec business development manager Joe Hayes says his company has addressed all issues that have arisen surrounding data protection in relation to biometric palm scanning. “The Data Protection Commissioner has issued specific guidelines for use of biometric scanning systems and we make sure the procedures being followed by the schools using our system are watertight. “The most important thing is that parents agree to the use of the system without imposition and that they are made aware that they have the option of opting out of using biometric information,” Mr Hayes said. “We’re living in a technological society so we’re exploring all options for automating our attendance records,”
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