Implementation of an RFID-Based Digital Attendance System to Improve Teacher Discipline at Kasih Bunda Kindergarten

Abstract

Attendance management of educators in Early Childhood Education (PAUD) environments plays a crucial role in maintaining discipline and smooth school administration. However, Kasih Bunda Kindergarten, located in Lubuk Malako, South Solok Regency, still faces operational challenges due to the use of a conventional, manual, paper-based attendance system. This method is prone to recording errors, the risk of physical damage to documents, and requires a long monthly recapitulation time by the principal. To address these issues, this community service activity aims to design, implement, and disseminate an appropriate digital attendance system based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and the Internet of Things (IoT) integrated with Google Sheets. The activity implementation method includes four main stages: situation analysis and coordination with partners, system design based on the ESP32 microcontroller, training and direct installation of equipment at the school, and regular operational assistance. The results of this community service activity indicate that the use of RFID technology has succeeded in significantly modernizing partner administration. Based on the post-activity evaluation, teacher satisfaction with the tool's ease of use reached 95%, while the time efficiency aspect of monthly recapitulation received a positive response of 92%. The implementation of this system has proven to eliminate the risk of data manipulation, automatically reduce the time required to recap monthly attendance data from hours to minutes, and improve transparency and a culture of work discipline within Kasih Bunda Kindergarten.