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South Otago High School enhances security and access management with eCLIQ key system, providing staff control over 70 keys and doors, completed in 2025.
Looking for a more secure, manageable way to control access, South Otago High School replaced its old key system with eCLIQ from ASSA ABLOY. Installed in just one day, the new system gives staff full control over 70 keys and the doors they open.
Part of the Balclutha community since 1926, South Otago High is the region’s largest school, with 530 students, six teaching blocks, and 17 hectares of playing fields and courts, serving families across South Otago’s rural and small-town areas.
- Completed
- 2025
- Client
- South Otago High School
Challenge and pain points for the school
The school operated a mechanical system where a single master key would open almost every door within the school, except for the gymnasium and server room. With around 45 teachers plus cleaners and support staff holding keys, access via exterior doors into classrooms, science labs and workshops was very difficult to monitor. If a master key was lost or duplicated without approval, the school would need to urgently rekey every lock to maintain security—a time-consuming and expensive task.
When the school discovered that a master key had been copied without their knowledge, Principal Mike Wright began looking for a system that could prevent it from happening again—a system that was easy to install and maintain and reduced the admin costs associated with traditional mechanical keys. The school wanted to eliminate potential emergency rekeying, and remove the guesswork about who has access.
A more efficient and secure solution
After looking into several electronic key options, the school selected eCLIQ by ASSA ABLOY for its exterior classroom doors. Installed by Begg Security, the eCLIQ platform now provides complete monitoring of all the school’s external door locks and keys, making it easier to manage who goes where and when.
The issue with a key fob system was the need to install power and internet access to every door,” said Mr Wright. “I’d read an article about ASSA ABLOY’s eCLIQ and thought it was a better system for our needs. It meant we didn’t have the expense and disruption of installing power to existing doors, and we can disable a lost key within minutes of being notified.
A quick, cost-effective transition
Mr Wright said eCLIQ has provided the school with central control, flexible room access, and remotely managed keys for staff and contractors without the cost or disruption of new wiring.
The system includes battery-powered electronic keys, locks with microchips, programming devices at convenient locations, and software for managing access.
Mike Begg, co-owner of Begg Security explained: “With eCLIQ, it still looks and works like a traditional key—locking and unlocking manually. We simply replaced the existing door cylinders with the electronic cylinders, set up and programmed the software, and gave each staff member a new key.”
The system was up and running in just one day, with no interruption to the school’s activities. “I was very pleasantly surprised by just how quick and easy the transition was and how well it was organised and managed,” Principal Mike Wright confirmed.
Providing total control over who has access
South Otago High School now manages 70 eCLIQ keys, each with preset permissions. Administrators can see who used which door and when and disable a lost key in minutes. Contractors can be granted temporary access by the school, and staff use a single key for all their needs. With external doors secured, the school plans to switch internal doors to eCLIQ next.
“The part which really impressed me was the ease of getting the system up and running, and then also the fact that there were no issues. It worked the first time,” Principal Mike Wright said.
eCLIQ is a purely electronic keying system developed by ASSA ABLOY. It is a cost effective solution which provides electronic access control without the need for wiring. eCLIQ cylinders retrofit into existing doors and locks.
eCLIQ offers the electronic features such as programmable access rights, time scheduling, audit trails, blocking of lost keys etc.
Both the key and cylinder contain electronics but only the key has a battery. The battery in the key powers up the electronics in the cylinder at key insertion.
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