A woman tests a facial recognition machine in this file photo.[Photo/VCG]

ON MONDAY, Northwest University of Political Science and Law required all its freshmen to attend morning reading activities and to register for the activity by means of face-recognition machines. Yet they had to cancel it on the same day because thousands of students formed long waiting lines as there were only four machines. Thepaper.cn comments:

The administrative staff of the university obviously failed to prepare properly. They required more than 3,000 students to attend the morning reading activities, yet they only installed four face-recognition machines. They should have expected the long lines of students, yet didn't.

Now they have addressed the problem. But the situation has also highlighted that certain universities treat their students like kids and always hope to intervene in every detail of their lives. In order to make students "obedient", they introduce all kinds of high-tech devices and require students to sign in when they attend classes. In some universities, the students have to apply and obtain approval from the administrative staff before they can leave campus.

College students are already adults who can act responsibly for themselves. They need tutors, not babysitters.

Such "regulatory" measures are also a waste of money and human resources.

Of course, we do not mean to encourage the students to stay in their dormitories all morning. Morning exercises and morning readings will help them become strong both physically and spiritually. However, universities only have the right to encourage, not to mandatorily require, students to attend these activities. Students have the right to their own time and this should be protected.

That's a lesson that not only NUPSL should learn, but also other universities nationwide.