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The first school in Hong Kong to instal a fingerprint identification system says the advanced technology saves trouble  and helps teachers get on with their jobs.

'School Touch' was set up at Laichikok Catholic Primary School in September and the transition has been smooth after a trial period of several weeks.

Now, every morning, all Primary Two to Six students, teachers and other staff members record their attendance with the five fingerprint sensors in the school.

Primary One students will start using the system  next month, after they have become more familiar with their new study environment.

The  new technology has replaced the ritual of teachers calling out names and marking the register.

The procedure is simple: students place their left thumb on the sensor and the computer - which contains their fingerprint data - will record their arrival time in one or two seconds. A small monitor will show the student code to ensure the reading is right.

If a child has hurt his  left thumb,  he can enter his student code and password into the machine.

The installation of the system cost more than  $40,000.

School principal Wong Man-ping admits that the smart card system - which is used by many Hong Kong schools - is cheaper. But the fingerprint identification scheme offers many advantages.

For example, students may forget to bring their smart cards to school, and if they lose them, they have to pay to get new ones, the principal says.

Primary Four student Li Yan-ting, nine, agreed:  'We may forget to bring a card to school, but it's impossible for us not to bring our fingers!'

There were some problems when the system was first put on trial. Some students did not place their thumbs on the sensor properly, and some fingerprint records in the data bank were not clear.

But now the system is more than 98 per cent accurate, except for students who forget to report their attendance. Primary Six student Chui Shuk-yee, 13, says the system is very convenient. She is proud to be among the first batch of students in Hong Kong to use it.

'It's so cool. On the first day that the sensors were installed, all the students were excited and curious,' she recalled.

'We now have more time during the morning session to read or talk to our teachers. I'm glad to see their burden has been reduced too.'

The school is hoping to extend the fingerprint system to its library next year, which is estimated to cost around $10,000.

To learn more about the system, visit www.schooltouch.com



No more roll calls