Fingerprint machine to prevent truancy in Mirsarai, instant messages sent to parents' phones
Md Anwarul Islam Nizami, Mirsarai (Chittagong)
Attendance is confirmed in a few seconds by showing fingerprint or ID card while entering the school. At the same time, the student's attendance information is automatically sent to the guardian's mobile phone via SMS. Even if they do not come to school, the absence message is sent to them. This digital attendance system has been running for eight years at the centennial Vidyapeeth Zorarganj Adarsh High School in Mirsarai, Chittagong.
According to school sources, the digital attendance system was first introduced for teachers in 2018. A year later, in 2019, all students were brought under this system. Since then, information on students' attendance and absence has been stored through software. Parents can also know the daily and monthly attendance figures in this.
Every morning, students line up to attend school. Some give their fingerprints on the biometric machine, while others show their ID cards. As soon as attendance is completed, a message is sent to the guardian's mobile phone. Similarly, when leaving school during holidays, the exit information is stored through fingerprints or ID cards. Later, that information is also sent to the guardian's phone.
Mosharraf Hossain, an assistant teacher at the school, said that after the introduction of the digital attendance system, the tendency of students to skip school has decreased. In addition to regular attendance, guardians have also increased their vigilance over when students enter and leave school.
Headmaster Mohammad Saiful Alam said that about 1,500 students are currently studying at Zorarganj Adarsh High School, established in 1914. There are 37 teachers and staff teaching them. Earlier, students used to skip school, but now that opportunity is no longer there. Instant messages are being sent to guardians through fingerprints while coming and going. Due to this, guardians have become more aware.
Abul Hashem, president of the school management committee, said, "The digital attendance system has been in place in our institution for a long time. Through this, the absence rate of our students has decreased, while attendance has also increased."
