Late for class? The barcode will get you

By Pauline Askin

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - An Australian primary school has developed a modern solution to the old problem of tardiness by barcoding students' bags and making latecomers scan them.

Since implementing the supermarket-like barcode system, which was invented by a parent whose children go to St. Christopher's Primary School in Melbourne, nearly 98 percent of students now arrive on time, principal Garry Trainor told Reuters.

"The barcode system was invented because out of our 550 children, we had on average about 180 arriving late every day," he said. "Now we have on average nine late kids per day."

Only children arriving after the bell need to scan their bags at the school office. A barcode reader produces a paper with their arrival time, which they must show their teacher before being allowed to continue their lesson.

Trainor said the system was not used to punish late-comers but to monitor those who habitually come late and inform their parents. The system also acts as an incentive to show up on time.

"Where previously children used to slink into the back of the classroom and try and pretend they had been there, now they must present the piece of paper to their classroom teacher," he said.

"You can't teach children who aren't at school, so the upside to this is the kids are actually at school," Trainor added.

School board member David Marks, whose two children attend St. Christopher's, said he drew on his IT experience to invent the system after school officials complained about the large number of latecomers.

"I just thought it has to be a simple, easy way to track every child when they come in and something they all could do themselves," Marks told Reuters.

"The first day was quite funny, watching the parents come running with their kids was quite entertaining."

(Editing by Miral Fahmy)