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EduAdmin System

Growing demand for access control at schools

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:15

A meeting of the minds between Ideco, EduAdmin drives intelligent technology into the classroom.

Representatives from Ideco Biometric Security Solutions (IBSS) and EduAdmin have combined their respective expertise to meet an increasing demand for fingerprint reader solutions received from authorities at independent schools throughout South Africa.

IBSS is an established provider of solutions, services and support within the field of identity management and part of the Ideco Group Ltd. The company is also the sole distributor of Morpho fingerprint terminals to the South African market.

Its partner in this project, EduAdmin, is a provider of education administration software to independent schools and has been in operation for thirty years.

As witness to the growing application of biometric technology within commercial security, including access control and time & attendance, EduAdmin initiated research into the biometric space with the intent to rollout solutions for use within schools.

The company is not focused on hardware and sought to partner with a respective service provider who had a firm track record, market experience and who could supply reliable hardware into which it could integrate its software.

“EduAdmin is a portfolio of Windows and .Net based software covering all aspects of educational management. There is a growing demand for advanced technology and integrated identity management systems within schools to help custodians control access and attendance. The technology is used to automate what are traditionally time consuming responsibilities, from attendance register to other administrative functions,” explains André Labuschagné, development director, EduAdmin.

Labuschagné said that EduAdmin has entered into an agreement with Ideco that allows for Morpho biometric fingerprint terminals to be integrated with EduAdmin software.

The software comprises a range of modules that enable users to better control numerous functions that fall under the banner of school management, from admission, boarding, counselling and extra curricula activities right through to financial, staff, student, time tabling and statistics.

“These are generic headings but the reality with this software is that it allows authorities to effectively manage every detailed function that forms part of their responsibility,” he adds.

The combination of EduAdmin software with Morpho terminals represents a total solution that addresses the challenges faced by authorities in using alternative systems.

Issues such as disparate technologies and below par service and support have impacted user experience.

“Morpho readers are designed around the Morpho Algorithm which is known for its accuracy, reliability and speed in identification and verification. We are very proud of the solution and believe the integration of EduAdmin software and connection to this system offers significant value to the education environment,” says Marius Coetzee, COO, IBSS.

Both companies believe there is potential for the solution to be applied on a wider basis, from main access points at schools to individual classrooms and at events, for example.

“The EduAdmin system is designed to accommodate a number of tiers or categories of users. It can link up with schools, then onto various sites or campuses, then with individual forms and even specific classes. We envisage that the readers will be used to reinforce access control and attendance, security, data management, mining and reporting across the entire spectrum of a school’s setup,” adds Coetzee.

The solution is already in place at St. Mary’s DSG (Diocesan School for Girls) in Pretoria and feedback from management at the institution suggests that the solution is making a major difference.

Management at both companies say that a number of schools have expressed keen interest in the integration of fingerprint solutions in the near future.