Enhancing institutional security and fee compliance through an integrated QR code-based student access system

The increasing student population at the Dar es Salaam Maritime Institute (DMI) has highlighted serious limitations in the existing manual gate entrance access system, which relies on physical verification of student identity and tuition fee status. This manual process has caused long queues, human errors, and inefficiencies in enforcing institutional access policies. This study presents the design and implementation of a QR code-based access control system aimed at automating and improving student verification at the DMI gate. Using a Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, the system was conceptualized, developed, and tested to ensure reliability, efficiency, and accuracy. Each student was assigned a unique QR code generated from the student database and linked to their fee payment records. Experimental results show that the proposed system reduced student verification time from approximately 20 seconds to less than 5 seconds, achieving an accuracy rate of 98%. These results demonstrate improved operational efficiency and reliable access control at institutional entry points. Upon scanning at the gate, the system performed real-time verification and granted or denied access accordingly. Results from the prototype testing demonstrated a significant reduction in verification time, from an average of 20 seconds manually to less than 5 seconds with the automated system. The study concludes that integrating QR code technology with institutional databases provides a cost-effective, scalable, and secure solution for managing student access. Future work should focus on integrating mobile payment updates, biometric verification, and offline access features to enhance usability and resilience in resource-constrained environments.