Frequently asked questions
The questions schools ask us first.
Straight answers for principals, governing bodies, security staff and parents. If yours is not here, ask us.
What is MySentinel?
A school safety and attendance system for South African schools. Learners scan an NFC badge at the gate, the check-in or check-out is recorded, attendance updates, and a message is sent to every registered parent or guardian. It also covers class registers, a visitor register, emergency alerts and lockdowns, and a POPIA console.
Do parents need to install an app?
No. Parents get messages by app notification, email or WhatsApp, and a private link to their child's status and settings. There is no account to create and no password to remember.
What if a parent has no smartphone or data?
Email and WhatsApp reach most families. For families who need it, we can switch on SMS for your school.
What do learners carry?
An NFC badge: a card a learner wears or keeps in their bag. The security officer scans it with a phone at the gate.
Which phones does the gate need?
An Android phone with NFC and Chrome scans the badge directly. On any other phone the officer types the badge number instead, so the gate keeps working.
Does it work when the signal drops?
Yes. The gate keeps checking learners in and out without a connection and sends everything when the signal returns. Class registers work the same way.
Does MySentinel lock latecomers out?
No. It records the time every learner arrives and flags late-coming against your school's start time. Letting the learner in is always the school's call.
Can it stop a stranger collecting a child?
At the gate, the officer sees the learner's photo and the adults registered to collect them. A parent can authorise another adult to collect their child for up to seven days, and that adult gives a code at the gate. An adult the school does not know can be recorded with a photo for the office to review.
Is it POPIA-compliant?
MySentinel is built so your school can meet POPIA. Data is encrypted with a key that belongs to your school alone, every action is written to an audit trail, and access requests and erasure are handled in a console your POPIA officer runs.
Where is the data stored?
In the European Union. That is a deliberate choice, and our privacy policy explains why.
Does it replace our school administration system?
No. MySentinel does gate check-in and check-out, attendance, parent alerts and safety. It does not do fees, timetables, marks or discipline.
How much does it cost?
One flat rate per active learner per month, the same for every school, with every parent-alert channel included. We quote per school.
How do we start?
With a demonstration, online or in person at your school. When you decide to go ahead, we guide your onboarding and support your team through setup.
Can a group of schools use it?
Yes. A school group runs all its schools from one console, and each school's data is walled off from the others.
Still wondering?
Ask us anything
If your question is not here, email am@binary-solutions.co.za and a person will answer in plain language.