MUZAFFARGARH: In an innovative move, the south Punjab School Education Department (SED) has launched an online Students Performance Tracking System (SPeTS) which will enable teachers, parents and the department to keep a track on every student’s performance with the ultimate aim of taking corrective actions where required.

All particulars including not only those related to the student but also regarding his family members such as academic, professional and financial details of parents and siblings would be fed into the system which would help teachers see the student in totality. Instead of following a one-size-fits-all kind of approach, solutions would therefore be provided for every child as per his exclusive circumstances and requirements.

Every teacher would be required to provide feedback on individual student regarding his subject, with particular focus on the strengths and weaknesses in the given subject, and then update it every three months thus enabling the supervisors, and all those interested, to see what improvement, if any, he had been able to work out with the student.

Result sheets for the monthly assessments, December tests, and annual exams would also be fed into the system to avoid any concealment on the part of the students. The system would also capture general details on the behaviour of the students too such as attendance, discipline, punctuality, cleanliness, and personal hygiene etc. And since the parents could also access the system, they would be able to see how their kids were faring in schools.

Parents can sign up to check children’s work, behaviour

Another hallmark of the SPeTS is that it would also capture details as to every student’s physical and mental health as well as general well-being so that symptoms are picked up in-time for subsequent treatment to avoid lifelong illnesses. Furthermore, it is being linked with the data of health department too so that a referral to an appropriate medical facility could also be generated.

The details regarding parents-teachers meetings would also be uploaded on the system for record purposes. Logins would be provided to parents too so that they could check, and keep a track on their children’s academic performance and general behaviour for possible intervention as and when required. The system would also establish two-way communication between the teachers and parents as it also has a provision of sending messages online.

The SPeTS has been initially rolled out at the Government Boys Comprehensive Higher Secondary School, Multan, and once the bugs are removed, it would be extended to all public schools in south Punjab.

When contacted, SED Secretary Dr Ehtasham Anwar said the department had created a sort of living document to keep track on every child’s physical, mental and academic growth and make interventions where required.

He said the department had developed the software and it could provide it to other public sector entities as well as private schools for possible adoption.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2022