Students in at least 10 schools in southern China and nearby districts were required to wear uniforms with chips for the teachers and parents monitor their daily activities. The "smart tech" uniforms combat absenteeism and promote good attendance among children.
The school uniforms were paired with facial recognition installed in the entrances and exit points within the school premises. The chip could even generate a report if students tried to remove the uniform and swap with their casual clothing.
The chips can report the location of the students. Once they exit or enter the school premises, an automatic voice alarm will be activated. It was not clear however whether both teachers and parents were notified.
One elementary school in Guizhou had started requiring their students to use the uniform this November, according to AFP. More than 1,400 students have complied for the new regulation, principal Ran Ruxiang told AFP.
The principal said the chips would not always report the accurate location of the students and would not always report on their exact whereabouts. The smart uniform, however, would be helpful to track missing students, especially those who were notorious for habitual absenteeism.
Ran said teachers also used the app in the chips planted in the uniforms to send in homework and other school-related announcements.
The use of technology in China was being questioned in several reports from publications outside the country. However, the use of microchip-planted uniforms was not exactly a new technology.
Students in Brazil have been wearing similar uniforms as far back as 2012. At the time, the country allowed the technology to fight habitual absenteeism and cutting classes among students.
An estimated 20,000 pupils had been wearing the uniform that year in the north-eastern city of Vitoria da Conquista according to a report from BBC. Once students arrived late or leave the school earlier than their dismissal, parents received a text message at an instant.
The local government allotted about $700,000 for the technology.
A local city official said parents, schools and the local government see the importance of the technology since many guardians experienced times when they were unaware that students were able to skip classes.
A school official said the device is also beneficial for parents who hurriedly drop their students off to school before work. These parents usually have kids who skip classes as soon as they see their parents driving away immediately.
The chips are installed underneath the uniforms' badges or on the sleeves. As soon as students enter or exit school and pass by the sensor, text messages are going to be sent to their parents or guardians. If students have yet to reach school 20 minutes after classes start, parents and guardians receive a message saying that the student has still not arrived at school.
