A Japanese university has started using mobile phones in a new plan to thwart attendance cheats, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Wednesday.
Under the plan, students at Aomori University, upon entering a class, must use a mobile phone to e-mail a number their teacher will show them as the lesson begins. This number connects to a college administrators' site.

Administrators then randomly select five to 10 students who have claimed attendance and send them a reply.
Those receiving the reply must stand up in the classroom and give their name. The random selection aims to prevent students from helping absentee pals skirt the attendance requirement.
"We're probably the first university in the country to introduce a mobile phone-based attendance record system for its students," a university administrator said. "The aim of the system is to reduce the workload of teaching staff, but we hope it also encourages students to study and deepen their knowledge."

Copyright 2005 by United Press International