KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the school education department to make full use of technology to monitor students’ attendance, reduce dropout rate and address the causes of absenteeism.

He emphasised that improvement in the education standard is the foundation of a strong and capable human resource in the province.

Chairing a meeting regarding the upcoming launch of the Student Attendance Monitoring and Redress System (SAMRS), he directed education officials to ensure that the new system identifies absentees and also investigates underlying issues in teaching environments and ensures timely interventions.

The meeting at the CM House was attended by Minister for Education Syed Sardar Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Planning and Development Chairman Najam Shah, School Education Secretary Zahid Abbasi, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh and others.

Student Attendance Monitoring and Redress System to offer real-time data collection thru mobile app, education minister tells Murad

SAMRS, a landmark initiative of the school education and literacy department (SELD), has been developed under the Sindh Early Learning Enhancement through Classroom Transformation (SELECT) project.

Supported by the Sindh government, World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), this system aims to leverage technology for strengthening the education sector.

Briefing the meeting, the education minister described SAMRS as a technology-driven solution to lower dropout rate by addressing absenteeism and identifying broader issues relating to school environment, teacher performance, and student learning outcomes.

He said the system offered real-time data collection through an offline mobile application and dashboard, recording attendance and key indicators directly from schools daily. Launched initially in 600 schools across 12 districts, the programme is intended to cover all schools in Sindh in phases.

He called that initiative a pioneering step for Sindh, not just in Pakistan but as a model for the Global South, Africa, and Latin America, where technology was being increasingly used to improve educational systems and support student retention. The programme would be launched shortly at a ceremony.

The CM assured continued government commitment to education reforms, stating: “Education is the greatest strength of our human resource. Investing in our students’ future ensures Sindh’s progress and prosperity.”

He underscored the need for active engagement from all stakeholders in making education accessible and effective across the province.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2025