Sir – the introduction of identity cards for Blue Peter badge holders might seem a little strange to many commentators but, in the context of fraud, the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) decision makes a great deal of corporate sense.

The issue the BBC is trying to resolve is the abuse of privileges and entitlements that Blue Peter badge holders can gain at over 200 attractions the length and breadth of the UK. Bearing in mind that there are currently over 500,000 badge holders (and that this figure is growing by an estimated 800 every week), it’s plain to see that the cumulative scope for fraud is nothing other than immense.

However, it also raises an interesting point about another ‘hot topic’, namely how the Government might operate effective background checks of supply teachers.

Adopting the BBC’s forward-thinking approach to credentials management in this context would go a long way towards reassuring parents, head teachers and governors that every supply teacher has been through the necessary vetting procedures before they step into the classroom and are allowed contact with their pupils.

Issuing supply teachers with a smart card provided by the Government, their teaching union or agency would enable the school to access a centralised database and cross-reference credentials. It would also provide a dynamic, reliable and secure resource to reassure schools that individuals on the database have the right to teach... thereby protecting children against unscrupulous individuals. Isn’t that what we all want to see happen at the end of the day?

It goes without saying that the majority of school and college teachers are decent, law-abiding citizens, but adopting the smart card approach would go some way towards assuring all parties that children are not being exposed to any unnecessary risks.

I would be very interested to learn the views of Security Management Today’s readers on this matter.

Chris Waynforth, Sales Director (Northern Europe) ActivIdentity

Source

SMT