Facial recognition attendance pilot planned at Piriápolis high school draws criticism
Uruguay's national education authority announced plans to pilot facial recognition cameras at a high school in Piriápolis to track student attendance. The proposal sparked criticism from teachers' unions, opposition politicians, and officials who raised concerns about privacy, surveillance, and data sovereignty.
What happened
The Administración Nacional de Educación Pública (ANEP) announced a pilot program launching in September 2025 at Liceo José Luis Invernizzi in Piriápolis to test facial recognition cameras for tracking student attendance as part of efforts to combat absenteeism.
The ANEP stated the project aims to provide authorities with 'precise and real-time information about absenteeism' and that it is testing multiple technological solutions including Wi-Fi connectivity, a mobile app, and facial recognition cameras, with no cost to ANEP.
Reported impact
Fenapes (Federación Nacional de Profesores de Enseñanza Secundaria) criticized the initiative for violating privacy and individual liberties, affecting data sovereignty, and ceding sensitive data to private companies. The union noted that attendance is not merely a technical metric but reflects deeper social issues including poverty, child labor, transportation, health, and belonging.
Critics including opposition politicians and ANEP's own president expressed concerns about surveillance, sensitive data handling, and deterrent effects on vulnerable students. The ANEP president stated the facial recognition system is 'the most controversial' and acknowledged it makes him uncomfortable, arguing cameras may discourage young people with existing challenges from attending school.
Index analysis
The pilot raises questions about the necessity and proportionality of facial recognition technology for attendance tracking when underlying causes of absenteeism—poverty, work, transportation, health—remain unaddressed.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.