‘Schools should hold off until there is proper guidance,’ NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates told News Line yesterday.
The teachers union leader was responding to a Liberal Democrat survey of Local Education Authorities (LEAs) which found that at least 285 schools in England are fingerprinting pupils without any education department guidance.
Schools in education secretary Alan Johnson’s own constituency are amongst those collecting biometric data off their pupils, without any guidance from the government.
The survey also revealed:–
‘Only a quarter of LEAs had details about the use of fingerprinting in schools.
‘The government has refused to issue guidance on the issue and has no idea how many children are being fingerprinted.
‘Education authorities did not have information regarding whether parental consent had been obtained in four-fifths of the schools that collect fingerprinting.’
The information is used for a variety of purposes, including taking class registers, by school libraries and for administration.
NASUWT Teachers union leader Keates added: ‘It’s important that there is guidance issued because of potential misuse.
‘But I would be very surprised if schools did not ask parents permission.’
She added: ‘Schools are bound to be at the cutting edge of biometric security systems.
‘We must make sure we don’t rush things because of the possibility of abuse.’
The National Union of teachers also expressed concern.
A NUT spokesperson told News Line: ‘It is not the sort of atmosphere we want to create in our schools, pupils rights have to be respected at all times.
‘It is something we would be very cautious of.’
A Department for Education and Skills spokesman was in full support of fingerprinting saying of the survey: ‘This is scaremongering.
‘Schools are well used to holding personal data about pupils and they do so working within the Data Protection Act.’
He added: ‘We will shortly be issuing guidance to all schools on best practice when taking, storing and disposing of data, including biometric data.’
Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Sarah Teather MP insisted: ‘These figures confirm an extremely worrying situation where schools are fingerprinting pupils without any guidance on whether it is legal to do so.’
She added: ‘Insecure school computers holding precious unique personal information are a gift to identity thieves.
‘Concerned parents should write to the government demanding that it produces strict regulations for the use of this technology in schools.’