Statistics for Hajj 2018 released

The General Authority for Statistics, KSA, has published final statistics for Hajj 2018. Counts were made through Hajj statistics centres at the entrances to Makkah. 

Some 2,371,675 pilgrims performed the Hajj in 2018. Of the cohort, 1.758.722 came from outside KSA, and 612.953 from within the country. There were more males (1.327.127) than females (1.044.548).

GCC pilgrims accounted for 1.9% of the cohort (34.140), while those from Arab countries outside the GCC contributed 22.5% of the cohort (395.410). Asian pilgrims, excluding the previous segments, contributed 59.7% of the cohort (1.049.496).

Pilgrims from overseas mainly arrived by air (1.656.936), followed by overland routes (85.623). Sea routes were the least popular (16.163).

Source: GASTAT website. Banner for the Hajj report.

Over half a million pilgrims (557.282) from overseas arrived from the beginning of the Hajj season through to 18 Dhulqidah, the month before Dhulhijjah. A further 744.903 pilgrims arrived between 19 and 29 Dhulqidah. Nearly half a million (456.537) pilgrims arrived over 1 to 8 Dhulhijjah. The Hajj started on 8 Dhulhijjah.

Over half of the 612.953 domestic pilgrims (372.991) were from Makkah, including temporary residents. There were 211.736 Saudi citizens and 401.217 residents from other nationalities.

The Jeddah/Makkah road was the most popular point of entry to Makkah with 38.2% of pilgrims using this route. Another 29.4% arrived through the Al-Shrae’a/Makkah road, and 17.8% came by the Makkah/Madinah road. The remainder used the South/Makkah road, Taif/Makkah road, and the old Jeddah/Makkah road.

GASTAT said 287.300 people provided more than 215 main support services and subservices. Supervision and follow-up services were provided by 7,310 supervisors from six entities. Public services were provided by 192.254 employees from 19 entities, and health services were offered by 32.579 employees from three entities. The labour force in transportation and post services, as well as logistics services (shipping, post and supply) that KSA provides to pilgrims reached 47.765 employees working in seven entities, while ICT services were provided by 7.411 employees from four entities.

Explore:

View Hajj statistics on the GASTAT site

Red Crescent reports on medical cases served on first two days of Hajj

Source: Centre for Government Communication, KSA.
The KSA Red Crescent Authority responded to 5,000 medical
emergencies during 8 and 9 Dhulhijjah.

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority responded to 5,000 emergency cases on Arafat and At-Tarwiyah days in Makkah, Madinah and other holy sites. At-Tarwiyah on 8 Dhulhijjah marks day one of the Hajj, while the day of Arafat is 9 Dhulhijjah.

From 7 to 9 Dhulhijjah 1,739 of the emergency cases were transferred to the nearest hospitals, while 3,228 were treated on-site.

Medical teams in Makkah served 4,316 emergency cases in city, Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram), Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina. More than 1,300 (1,342) cases occurred in Makkah; 982 were in Arafat; 632 in Muzdalifah; more than 862 in Mina, and 250 cases in the Holy Mosque. Medical care was given on-site for 2,846 of the cases while more than 1,470 cases were transferred to hospitals.

Teams in Madinah helped 651 visitors in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet's mosque, in Madinah) and along the roads leading to the mosque. Of these, 269 emergency cases were transferred to hospitals and 382 cases were treated on-site.

Free mobile data gifted to Hajj pilgrims

The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Communications and Information Technology Commission will provide 2 million GB of data for the 2 million Hajj pilgrims this year.

An official statement said that the initiative was in accordance with the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and HH the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “to do everything possible to make it easy for pilgrims to perform the rituals of Hajj”.

The free data is for those who have opted to use packages Sawa Ziyara, AlZowar, Noor, Hajj & Umrah and Iman — provided by the mobile operators Saudi Telecom, Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), Mobile Telecommunication Company Saudi Arabia (Zain), Virgin Mobile, and Etihad Jawraa (Lebara).

Each subscriber will have access to 1 GB for 48 hours. The initiative intends to allow pilgrims to communicate with their families and enable them to access the digital services available in the Smart Hajj initiative in order to enhance their experience and allow them to take advantage of enhanced communication services.

“This initiative is just one of the efforts of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Communications and Information Technology Commission and all mobile service providers in the Kingdom to provide the best communication services to pilgrims during this pilgrimage season,” the organisations said.

Hajj runs from August 19 to August 24.

Train services for the holy sites continue till 24 August

The dedicated train for the Hajj holy sites transported as many as 75,000 pilgrims from Arafat to Muzdalifah, the Saudi Press Agency reported, citing the Makkah Region Development Authority.

Train services will continue till 2pm on 13 Dhulhijjah (24 August), covering Eid and the three days after that. The train serves Arafat, Mina 1, Mina 2, Mina 3 and Jamarat stations, where stone pillars are pelted with pebbles as a Hajj ritual.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, KSA issued a statement about the Jamarat rite, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The ministry stated that 10 Dhulhijjah is the day of sacrifice, during which pilgrims will go to Mina where they throw seven pebbles at the Jamarat. They then shave their heads and circumnabulate the Ka'aba as the last formal Hajj ritual. 

The KSA General Directorate of Passports separately said that Hajj pilgrims from abroad should not travel outside Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah. Pilgrims have been known to decide not to return home for economic reasons - looking for work in KSA instead, or for religious reasons - wanting to stay on in the holy sites.
 
According to the General Authority for Statistics, KSA, 2,371,675 pilgrims performed the Hajj in 2018.

20 million calls, close to 1.5 TB of data

The Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission has reported that over 20 million calls were made in Makkah over the past week, with a 99% success rate.

In addition, over 1,476 TB of data were downloaded, with a download and upload speeds of 26 and 10 Mbps respectfully.

The average daily data consumption for pilgrims in Makkah has reached 308 MB, exceeding the average daily per capita data consumption globally (150 MB).

Hajj pilgrims move to Muzdalifah

Over 2 million pilgrims are moving to Muzdalifah after having climbed Arafat, the Saudi Press Agency has reported. At Arafat, many prayed the noon and afternoon prayers at Namira Mosque.


As part of the rituals of the Hajj for 9 Dhulhijjah, corresponding to 20 August, they will pray the sunset and the evening prayers at Muzdalifah, after which they will collect pebbles for stoning the Jamrat al-Aqaba in Mina the next day. They will spend part of the night at Muzdalifah, arriving in Mina by dawn to conduct Eid prayers.

Eid occurs on 10 Dhulhijjah. After the Eid prayers the pilgrims will stone the Jamrat pillars which represent Satan, and proceed to animal sacrifices.

The same day the kiswah (الكسوة) or embroidered cloth cover for the Ka'abah was replaced by 160 technicians, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Some of the last pilgrims to arrive, on 17 August, came from the families of martyrs of the Yemeni National Army. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the KSA Ministry of the Interior has hosted the families of martyrs to perform Hajj rituals for 15 years. Some 3,450 pilgrims are being hosted under this programme this year. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guest Program for Hajj and Umrah for this year hosts another 5,400 pilgrims from 95 countries. The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud will pay expenses for sacrifices for both sets of pilgrims.


As of 8 Dhulhijjah, 19 August, when the Hajj began, 1,981,771 pilgrims had arrived in Makkah, said the General Commission for Statistics. According to the General Authority for Statistics, KSA, the total number of Hajj pilgrims for this year is 2,368,873 pilgrims as of 5am, 20 August.

Zamzam water freely available in Makkah

Source: KSA Centre for Government Communications. Zamzam water for pilgrims in Makkah.

To meet the ever-increasing demands for Zamzam water, the Saudi Geological Survey has set up a Zamzam Studies and Research Centre (ZSRC), which is charged with keeping Zamzam water both clean and plentiful.

Electric pumps draw water from the well, which is located within the Al-Haram Mosque. The water is filtered through a series of sand filters and cartridge filters, and then sterilized by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation at these treatment plants before distribution to consumers.

Today, water of Zamzam is available to the public through coolers stationed throughout the Al-Haram Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. A bottling plant and public distribution centre have been established just outside the Al-Haram mosque for visitors who want to carry Zamzam water home. Some pilgrims dip their pilgrimage clothes, ihram, in the water. The ihram is then preserved as burial clothes when the pilgrim dies.

The General Affairs of the Holy Mosque has set up 25,000 dispensers for Zamzam water around Makkah. These are refilled within the hour to refresh pilgrims.

Source: General Authority for Statistics, KSA, via the KSA Centre for Government Communications. A dispenser of Zamzam water.

107,000 pilgrims encircle the Ka'abah every hour

Source: Centre for Government Communications, KSA.
Pilgrims circumnabulating the Ka'abah.

The KSA General Authority for Statistics has stated that, as of 18 August, there are 278,000 people praying in the Grand Mosque (Al-Haram Mosque) in Makkah, and 107,000 pilgrims circling the Ka'abah every hour.

According to the Saudi General Director of Passports, a total of 1,684,629 pilgrims have arrived in KSA via air, land, and sea ports by noon, August 16. The Hajj will be performed by an estimated 2 million pilgrims, including KSA residents.

Additionally, there are also more than 10,000 staff members from the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque tending to pilgrims and visitor’s needs.

Furthermore, 42 research and scholarly papers have been published by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute of Hajj and Umrah Research, to develop a comprehensive, sustainable system for Hajj, umrah, and general visits.

Research that the institute is working on includes:

– An analytical study on the time it takes for pilgrims to complete necessary procedures to enter the kingdom.
– The modelling and simulation of tawaf (الطواف; circumambulation).
– Hajj and Umrah 2018 demographics and statistics.
– Employing interactive smart screens for navigation.
– The role of public relations (PR) pamphlets in health awareness and promotion.
– The evaluation of sanitary prayer counters in the Grand Mosque.
– Transportation from/to holy sites.
– The role of Saudi embassies in educating pilgrims about lawful conduct

The Ministry of the Interior has kept checks up on work and transport permits for the Hajj season. According to the Commander of Hajj Security Forces, 188,464 individuals and 837,46 vehicles were turned away from Hajj zones from 9 July to 6 August at 12 Makkah checkpoints.

This year’s Hajj started on August 19 and will end August 24.

1.3 million Qurans to be given to Hajj pilgrims

King Fahd’s Quran Printing Complex, located in Madinah, KSA will be distributing 1,383,610 copies of the Quran and Quran translations as a gift from King Salman of KSA to Hajj pilgrims.

The Quran gift will be distributed from August 23 till 30 to pilgrims departing through local airports in Jeddah, Madinah, and seven other main ports of land, sea, and air.

King Fahd Printing Complex has also been distributing copies of Hajj rituals through the Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah. The distribution began in July and ended 14 August, with 389,186 copies handed out.

Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, KSA gives overview of Hajj services in 2018

The KSA Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Mohammed Saleh bin Taher Benten confirmed that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is monitoring activities and services during Hajj 2018 in line with Vision 2030.

According to a report by the Saudi Press Agency, Dr Benten is quoted as saying there are currently different ways to send reports, complaints and enquiries: on the number 800 430 4444, and through the Manasikana mobile app, he said. Feedback through Manasikana activates follow-up mechanisms to ensure the quality of Hajj services and the effectiveness of all electronic and operational systems.

There are reception centres for pilgrims at the entrances to Makkah and Madinah, while more than 1,800 employees organise the traffic of buses to pilgrims in both cities.

Two Saudi women have been appointed to the board of directors of the South Asian pilgrims Guides Foundation, he stated, boosting the role of women in organisation of the Hajj. Women also are working in command and control rooms, and reception offices.


Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Abdulfattah bin Suleiman Mashat said the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has created an electronic path, linking all Hajj-related bodies to shorten the time spent to fulfill the measure and control the level of the service offered. It has also launched smart translation in major languages in addition to reminding pilgrims of when they need to move from one point to another to fulfil various rituals.

The more than 17,000 buses providing transport are being monitored, so that their movements within Hajj zones can be controlled. Makkah is longing for you and Become helpful for others initiatives which organise volunteers for the Hajj.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry for Hajj Affairs Dr Hussein Al-Shareef said there are 720 field services offices available to serve more than 2 million pilgrims. A preprocessed food snacks service will be launched this year to target 15% of pilgrims, and gradually increased in the coming years, he said.

Explore:

Download Manasikana

What's behind mobile services at Hajj 2018

The General Authority for Statistics in KSA (GASTAT) has published an infographic of ICT services provided to Hajj pilgrims.

According to the infographic, 7,411 employees from five different sectors are working to provide 15 essential services 24x7 under the aegis of the Communications and Information Technology Commission in accordance with authorised service providers.

There are 69 branch offices for telecommunications services in Makkah this year, plus 15,927 2G, 3G and 4G cell towers for mobile communications in Makkah, Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafat, Madinah and at the Grand Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram). Nearly 3,000 of the cell towers in Makkah and Madinah were introduced for Hajj 2018. Additionally, telecom and Internet services are available at air, land and sea ports as well as along roads to serve pilgrims.

The number of 4G cell towers increased by 42.9% over Hajj 2017 at the Grand Mosque; was up 24.4% in Makkah, rose by 106% at the holy places, and went up 24.5% in Madinah. The increase in 4G network capacity at peak hours for Hajj 2018 reached 80% at the Grand Mosque, 84% in Makkah, 182% at the holy places, and 36.3% in Madinah. There are also 3,000 Wi-Fi hotspots available.

The Communications and Information Technology Commission branch in Makkah periodically checks audio and Internet quality, scans the frequency bands of mobile networks at the two main mosques as well as the connected highways between Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah to ensure the quality of mobile services. It also deals with any harmful interference that may affect the performance of the network and allows the use of frequencies of each mobile service provider to increase the capacity of the network and improve the level of services provided to Hajj pilgrims.

KSA's telecommunications companies have more than 460 sales points available at the holy places to provide SIM cards, data SIM cards and recharge cards, as well as providing technical support centres with various languages to serve pilgrims.

Source: GASTAT. Information and communication technology services for Hajj 2018.

Explore:

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about KSA's Smart Hajj initiative

Madinah Municipality outlines plans for Hajj

Source: KSA Centre for Government Communication.
An inspection by the Madinah Regional Municipality.

Madinah Regional Municipality Secretary Engineer Mohammed bin Abdulhadi Alomari has shared that 4,073 inspection tours on food and health facilities are part of the Hajj 2018 strategy.

Inspection tours and visits focusing on the degree of danger and compliance with health rules and regulations have reached 1,222 food-related facilities such as kitchens, restaurants, hotels, fast-food restaurants, and meat shops. 

He also noted that regular inspections on gas stations, service centres, and rest areas alongside highways connecting Makkah to Madinah are also underway.

Alomari further announced that cleaning will be done daily in public places, especially surrounding the Prophet’s mosque and Islamic and historical sites. There will be 3,874 cleaning crew, including cleaners, supervisors, inspectors, and drivers. 

Hajj pilgrim arrivals continue apace

As of August 16, the Saudi Press Agency has reported that Hajj pilgrim arrivals reached 1,684,629 according to the Directorate General For Passports, KSA.

Those arriving by air reached 1,584,085, while 84,381 pilgrims came by land and 16,163 pilgrims by sea. The total number of pilgrims who arrived in Madinah as of August 15 was 841,734 according to daily statistics issued by the Unit of Media and Social Communication in Hajj Committee in Madinah. Another 131,608 pilgrims remained in Madinah.

The Saudi Press Agency separately reported that Palestinian pilgrims of the families of martyrs left for KSA on August 15. The pilgrims are guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques under a Hajj and umrah programme supervised by Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance for more than 5,000 pilgrims from 94 countries in the world. They follow the first Hajj mission from Palestine, which left on August 11.
 
The arrival of the last flights as part of the Makkah Road initiative on August 16 marked the completion of the initiative for Hajj 2018, the Saudi Press Agency said. The initiative took place at the Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta airports in Malaysia and Indonesia respectively, benefitting 103,057 pilgrims through 240 flights, including 137 flights at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and 103 flights at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah, KSA.

On August 15, the Oman News Agency reported that the 2018 Military Hajj Mission left the country on Royal Air Force of Oman Transport planes, to Makkah.

The Military Hajj Mission is sent annually upon the royal orders and directives of HM the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces to the personnel of SAF and other military and security apparatuses, and may involve active personnel as well as retirees.

The Kuwait News Agency reported the same day that Kuwait Airways sent 4,654 Hajj pilgrims on 16 flights to  King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah.

King Abdullah Medical City sets up hotline for Hajj stroke cases

Source: Centre for Government Communication, KSA.
King Abdullah Medical City.

For the fourth year in a row, King Abdullah Medical City, a specialist hospital, has set up a hotline to match stroke and cases with doctors and specialists in Makkah hospitals in KSA. The hotline also arranges transportation of urgent cases to the Medical City.

The hotlines are up 24x7 during the Hajj period, with alternative direct phone numbers also provided in case the hotline is busy.

The Director of the Medical Coordination, King Abdullah Medical City Rami Al-Sufi has pointed out that the hotline is critical when time is of the essence with treating cerebral strokes.

The 550-bed hospital separately announced that it has conducted more than 100 specialised operations on Hajj pilgrims.

Scouts on hand to help during Hajj

Source: Center for Government Communications, KSA.
Scouts in Mina, KSA.

The Saudi Boy Scouts Association is fielding 3,000 scouts from 370 scout bands during the Hajj 2018 period to help pilgrims.

The scouts guide lost pilgrims to their destinations, hand out Qurans, maps, books and educational material, help with crowd control at Ministry of Islamic Affairs locations and health facilities, and also report violations to the authorities.

KSA Food and Drug Authority updates on Hajj 2018 statistics

Source: Center for Government Communication, KSA.
Food and drug inspectors are at the borders 24x7 to clear items
from Hajj pilgrims.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has so far inspected over 8,000 food, drugs, medical device and other imports via air, land, and sea as part of Hajj 2018. 

The 150 inspectors are assigned to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, KSA as well as the land and sea entry points that receive pilgrims to clear any products coming in 24x7. A total of 7,954 items were cleared, while 310 items had expired, came from unknown sources, or were in unusually large quantities.

The authority has also inspected 413 facilities such as kitchens, fast-food restaurants, and storage units. During the inspections, 461 health violations were found and 473 kg of food was destroyed. The authority is working together with the highway patrol at its three designated checkpoints (Alshumaisi, Aljamjoum, and Bahra) for the first time to inspect vehicles that transport food. So far, 8,871 vehicles have been inspected, and 88.7 tons of spoiled food, and 14,964 l of spoiled liquid food, have been registered.

Hajj to begin on 19 August 2018

KSA has declared that 1 Dhulhijjah, the last month of the Islamic year, fell on 12 August, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Consequently the main activities of the Hajj, which take place on 8 to 10 Dhulhijjah, will occur on 19 to 21 August.

Eid al-Adha, from 10 to 13 Dhulhijjah, is therefore from 21 to 23 August.


In Oman the Eid al-Adha holiday this year for employees at the ministries, public authorities and other departments of the State's Administrative Apparatus will be from 8 Dhulhijjah 1439, corresponding to 19 August 2018, till 12 Dhulhijjah 1439, corresponding to 23 August 2018, reported the Oman News Agency.

Work resumes on 15 Dhulhijjah, corresponding to 26 August 2018, according to a decision issued by Sayyid Khalid bin Hilal bin Saud al-Busaidi, Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court, Chairman of the Civil Service Council.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Bakri, Minister of Manpower of Oman, issued a ministerial decision on the same day for the Eid Al Adha holiday for the private sector. The duration is the same as for the public sector.

The decision allows employers and employees to agree on work arrangements as compensation for the holiday. Employees whose weekly off day coincides with the holiday must be compensated.

Capsules being trialled at Hajj 2018

Source: KSA Center for Government Communication.
Capsules are being trialled as Hajj accommodation.

The Saudi Hadiyah Association is experimenting with portable fibreglass capsules for Hajj pilgrims to sleep and stay in as part of efforts to serve more people in the same space.

The capsules are light and measure 2.64 sq m with a height of 1.2 m. Designed to provide privacy, safety, and hotel-like facilities with smart electronic controls, the capsules can also be stacked side by side and up to two units high.

Bathrooms will be in separate units, while luggage will be stored in external lockers. Entry will be by magnetic card, but doors will automatically open if the power goes out.

“The hotel capsule is designed to serve Hajj guests by providing an efficient and ideal economic solution in crowded places,” said the association President Mansour Al-Amer. “It will feature most required facilities, including showers, irons, storage space, and safe deposit boxes.”

Al-Amer said 24 hotel capsules will be studied and examined in the field by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute. Twenty-four units will be located in Mina, and expected to be used by elderly and exhausted pilgrims.

The Institute has already conducted controlled experiments for the capsule in the last 10 days of the past Ramadhan.

Over 30,000 health personnel on site for Hajj 2018

Source: KSA Center for Government Communication. The
KSA Red Crescent Society has 300 ambulances on the ground.

The KSA Ministry of Health has released more statistics around health services for Hajj 2018.

Dedicated healthcare staff for Hajj 2018 totals 29,495:

• 780 doctors

• 1,248 specialist doctors

• 2,718 general practioners

• 1,428 pharmacists

• 3,533 nurses

• 1,173 laboratory workers

• 198 nutrition specialists

• 5,587 administrative staff

• 1,491 ambulance drivers

• 165 engineers

There are also more than 700 local volunteers under the Community Participation Program, which aims to increase social development through voluntary initiatives according to the KSA Vision 2030.

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority has separately recruited some 2,631 personnel amongst doctors, specialists, administrators, and technicians in Makkah and Madinah. Sixty-nine ambulance centres will accommodate urgent health cases, along with 300 ambulances, 15 advanced response teams, and 27 medic motorcycles.

There are another 10 emergency centres around major areas, including both airports, nearby sea ports, and along roads leading to Makkah and Madinah.

Explore:

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on the Ministry of Health's previous updates

Kindergartens and childcare debut at the Hajj

Source: KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Children at the Hajj.

Kindergartens and nurseries for Hajj pilgrims’ children in Makkah and Madinah have been set up by the KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education this year.

The facilities aim to provide an educational, qualitative and secure environment, supervised by qualified staff to meet the education, entertainment and healthcare needs for the children of Hajj pilgrims. This helps to reduce the likelihood of congestion and infection, lost children or dangers at the holy sites, while the pilgrims perform their rites.

Pilgrims with children can request this service during Hajj permit registrations at the Ministry’s portal starting from this year. In addition to both the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Education, other entities participating in this service include the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Development and Tatweer. Tatweer is wholly-owned by the government and provides educational services.

Children aged from two months to 10 years will be welcomed from 18 to 24 August, categorised as:

– Infants from 2 months – 1.5 years

– Toddlers from 2 – 3 years

– Children from 6 – 10 years

They will be educated in five languages: Arabic, English, French, Malawi and Turkish.

Children will be protected by various means, including access controls using fingerprints for children, parents and authorised staff, as well as identity checks with relevant security entities. The system also includes surveillance cameras.