Electronic locks can be very useful in schools, where a large number of students and employees need access to different areas.
In fact, in addition to schools electronic lock access control can be extended to any educational establishment: nurseries, universities, institutes, language schools or academies.
However, focusing on the case of schools, Omnitec electronic locks have been chosen for dozens of educational centres as the solution to two main concerns:
- Security: Increasing security in the centres and being able to ensure classrooms are closed when there are no supervisory personnel; thus ensuring the integrity of students’ property and the facilities.
- Organisation: Some educational centres may have dozens of locks, which makes the work of supervisory staff difficult. Sometimes the janitor has to carry an enormous bunch of keys or the teachers have to carry several different ones.
How are electronic locks installed?
In many cases, the most practical solution is to install devices that let each member of staff move freely with a single card which gives them access to one area or another, depending on their permissions.
This common and long-established solution in hotels means keyed locks can be replaced by electronic ones with a simple installation process, which, in the vast majority of cases, does not require changing the door.
Access can be controlled in three different ways:
- Proximity card: Very common in educational centres. You just have to place the card (or bracelet or key ring) close to the electronic lock.
- Numeric code: This option is also common in schools and institutes.
- Bluetooth technology: A third available option, using a smartphone.
Advantages of electronic locks in schools
Goodbye to metal keys
Staff do not need access to every room in a school. However, instead of carrying a large bunch of physical keys for the rooms they do need, with electronic locks, they need carry only a single card.
Permission management
Personnel authorised to do so (e.g. management team, caretakers or administration staff) can grant different levels of permission for the cards people carry; e.g., opening classrooms or the gym. Also, a timetable can be established, so the classroom is not left open without any supervisory personnel. If a card is lost, the permissions can be deleted, without having to change the lock, as happens if a metal key is lost.
Opening records
These systems keep records of who has entered an area, with the date and time, so checks can be made.
Different levels of security
The same room may contain parts with different levels of security: e.g. an access door, emergency exit, materials cupboard, students' lockers or medicine cabinets.
Possibility of adding lockers
Omnitec also offers the possibility of installing locks for lockers and other types of furniture, or even other types of access and presence control.
For more information about electronic locks in schools and their possibilities, do not hesitate to contact the Omnitec team, so we can study the feasibility in the particular case of your centre.