Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Department of Education (DOE) Commissioner Kang Tzong-huu announced that the agency expects to test the new small-amount purchase function of the digital student ID card starting the first semester of the 2010 school year.
According to Kang, DOE plans to select one high school/vocational school, one middle school, and one elementary school for test runs. He expects the city government to offer this option to all city school students starting 2011. Nearly 400,000 students will benefit from this new service.
The commissioner noted that the digital student ID, issued by the city’s schools since 2005, is a student ID-EasyCard hybrid. Utilizing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, these IDs can serve as EasyCards when taking public buses or MRT trains.
Currently, the digital student ID cards manage individual student’s school attendance record and allow him or her to borrow and return books at the library. With the additional function, students will be able to pay for textbooks, meals, and other miscellaneous charges with their card.
For this option, schools will have to obtain the necessary upgrades, meeting both software and hardware requirements. Like standard EasyCards, parents can “recharge” their children’s student ID cards at convenience stores or MRT stations.