Smart card technology has the potential to revolutionize the education sector. From tighter security to increased efficiency, there are many reasons to introduce smart cards in schools, colleges and universities. Here are six advantages of using smart cards for education.

Controlling access

One of the main worries for educational institutions is the danger posed by strangers on the site. This is especially important if your organization caters to younger children or vulnerable adults. A smart card system ensures that only staff and students can access the building. Smart cards also allow you to control who can go where within the building. Because ID cards can be programmed differently for each individual, you can limit access on a person to person basis. For example, students can be allowed into classrooms but not staff areas. You can even limit student access to certain corridors at busy times to prevent crowding.

More accurate IDs

Smart cards can carry far more information than a traditional ID card, making it much easier to identify people on your site. While an old-fashioned ID card would rely on matching a person’s face to a photograph (easy to fake, and also a problem if a person’s appearance changes over time), smart ID cards can be linked to a student’s record and checked against their personal details, making them much more difficult to fake.

Recording attendance

By requiring students to swipe their ID cards upon entering and exiting the classroom, you can build up an accurate picture of punctuality and attendance. This is much more reliable than relying on a teacher to take a daily register, which is time-consuming and easy to forget. The information will automatically be stored on your computer system, making it easy to spot frequent lateness or truancy. This data can also be linked to attendance software which will automatically contact parents if there is a problem.

Safer IT use

Smart cards can be used to log in to school computers, eliminating the risk of students posing as other students to access sensitive information. Websites can also be blocked on a student by student basis, allowing older students to access certain content that younger students can’t.

Cashless transactions

Smart cards can be used as prepaid top-up cards, allowing students to purchase everything from snacks to stationery without carrying cash. Less cash on campus means less risk of theft, and cashless transactions also reduce queuing times in shops and cafeterias. This also creates a great benefit in the fight against coronavirus, as contactless transactions can help reduce the spread of the virus.

Resource management

Smart cards can be used to allocate resources in a more efficient manner. They can automatically book use of school equipment or IT rooms for students, reserve library books, or even assign parking spaces for staff.