Facial recognition system proving useless in city schools

Hyderabad: The technical glitches in the artificial intelligence-based facial recognition system used for recording student attendance rendered it ineffective due to a lack of digital literacy among government teachers.

The teachers point out that recording attendance online is more time-consuming, as manual attendance just takes five-ten minutes, but recording attendance takes almost 20-25 minutes. This results in half of first period getting wasted. The main issue of the system is everyday teachers have to record attendance and send it to higher officials.

But sometimes the application does not support, as teachers have not been given proper training. Due to that they are facing hardship in using the system.

Ramesh of Government High School Kacheguda, said “Last month when it was announced that the department is to introduce a new attendance recording system in government schools by removing the age-old practice of recording attendance in registers, we thought that with the introduction of the new system, the process of taking attendance will be easier. But it has become more complicated, as the system is causing confusion. Daily teachers are facing problems to take attendance”.

On condition of anonymity, a government school teacher said, “The age-old practice of recording attendance in registers is far better than the facial recognition system. Teachers have not been given proper training on how to operate the application.

Earlier it was informed by the department that training would be given; but no training has been given. Also, the system has faults. For instance, last week when I was recording attendance of class 6, after capturing a picture of a student, at uploading the system showed another student’s picture. How is that possible.”

Pointed out Padma, Maths teacher, Government High School, Charminar,“Instead of using an app-based facial attendance system, it will be better if the department instalscentralised instruments to capture attendance near the school gates. In the new recording attendance system introduced ten days back the main problem we face is taking photos of adolescent girls. Few parents opposed and objected, as they feel that technology can be manipulated and photos may be misused.”