A Welsh primary school is considering whether to supervise its pupils with electronic tags due to a shortage of teaching assistants.
Under the proposed system, an alarm sounds if any of the 350-pupils leave Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Lonlas Primary School, Swansea, at any point during the day.
The Deputy Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sara Reid, said: “I understand that schools need to worry about the safety of the children, but we are concerned about the effect this could have on the human rights of children.”
The school’s head teacher, Dyfrig Ellis, has started talks with a Dutch tag manufacturer. He said: “The tagging system does appear extreme, but I believe that it’s an option I have to consider when the safety of pupils is in question.”
The school’s governors are set to discuss the scheme with the local education authority and the wristband manufacturer. The scheme is attractive as it requires a single monitor in a central control room. The school has had trouble finding teaching assistants due to low pay and unfavourable working hours, and is reluctant to increase the teachers’ workload.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said:"It is about local solutions for local problems,” as schools can decide their own policy. The Welsh teaching union Ucac has called for responsibility to be transferred to education authorities.
The tags may cheaply keep the children in the playground, but children suffering bullying or accidents will have less protection than before. Similar concerns could justify the use of tags to limit freedom in other areas of life.