Cowra High School (CHS) is excited to announce that “Albert” has found a home at the school, with students and teachers alike giving him a warm welcome.
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No, Albert isn’t a new student or teacher, nor is he a new program or item on the syllabus – he is the brand new Commonwealth Bank EFTPOS machine in the school’s canteen.
Cowra High School Canteen Manager Judy Core said the students have already taken quite a liking to the EFTPOS machine since it was first used last Tuesday.
“It’s been good, we've had eighteen transactions the first day, 13 the next day then 23 yesterday,” she said.
Judy said students have been asking for an EFTPOS machine for a number of years to be up to the same standard as a lot of high schools in NSW.
“The kids have been asking for a long time and Caroline (Sullivan, who also works in the canteen) went into the bank and asked them all about it… we’ve been organising this since before Christmas,” she said.
“And because we are P&C run, they’ve finally approved it now.”
Canteen assistant Caroline Sullivan said it’s a big change from cash or the paper bag that’s been scribbled on in texta with money in it, but the school is simply adapting to the times.
“We still do that,” she said.
“I’m sure there are parents that are not happy with it but the kids that have cards, have cards because they work, so they are spending their own money.
“It’s teaching them to budget.”
Judy said there were a few concerns raised by the CHS P&C, however the benefits outweighed any potential negatives.
“They decided we’d give it a go and see how we went with it because a lot of schools have got them now,” she said.
“Two years ago we had Camden, and two years ago they wanted to know where are EFTPOS was and we missed them this year with it.”
Judy said teachers have also taken advantage of the new payment method.
“Well this is the new way of life, isn’t it?” she said.
“Even the Principal said he doesn’t carry cash on him.”
Caroline said a lot of the students who use their cards to pay do so because they are paid for part-time jobs directly into a bank account.
“The kids who are using EFTPOS have jobs, so they get paid into their account, it’s not like they are spending their pocket money.”
Judy said she never thought it would happen.
“They’ve been asking for it for a lot of years, I used to just laugh because we haven’t got electronic tills,” she said.
“I thought EFTPOS was never going to happen in here, it is a sign of the times and you’ve got to go with it.”
