Punjab marks a shift with real-time attendance system in govt schools

Chandigarh: The Punjab govt on Thursday launched a state-wide online attendance tracking system in govt schools under Mission Samrath 4.0, aiming to boost real-time accountability and ensure learning continuity in classrooms. Education minister Harjot Singh Bains, along with former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, rolled out the initiative.Aimed at improving attendance, boosting classroom engagement and strengthening accountability between schools and families, the system reinforces the link between attendance and learning outcomes by sending daily SMS alerts to parents on their child's attendance.Bains said: "Parents will receive daily SMS alerts on their child's attendance, with notifications for every absence. Any child absent for seven days will trigger a district-level parent contact, while absence beyond 15 days will be flagged to state headquarters. This will ensure both learning continuity and child safety."Emphasising the impact of the programme, the education minister stated, "Mission Samrath has transformed classroom dynamics. This phase focuses on enhancing teaching quality and accountability through attendance tracking, improved monitoring and sharing the best practices. Our goal is to ensure that every child achieves strong foundational learning."Highlighting the Punjab govt's investment in education, Bains said, "CM Bhagwant Mann has increased the education budget from Rs 12,657 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 19,279 crore in 2026-27 — the largest allocation for any sector in Punjab. This money isn't just on paper; it has reached every school. Teachers used to collect donations to repair toilets or buy brooms during past regimes. Now, they say, don't send grants, we haven't yet spent the last one."He further underlined improvements in school infrastructure, stating that every senior secondary school with over 500 students now has a dedicated campus manager, while schools with over 100 students have been provided security guards and sanitation staff, facilities that were "once unavailable".On academic reforms, Bains said textbooks now reach students on time, adding, "Earlier, teachers had to photocopy pages till Sept or Oct. This year, the Punjab govt has delivered complete textbooks to every child on April 1, free of cost, like any private school, made possible through meticulous planning and political will."Explaining the core focus of Mission Samrath 4.0, he said, "The programme ensures that children in grades III to VIII master reading, writing and mathematics." Sharing a classroom example, he added, "A Class VIII student from Gardale village in Ropar said, ‘I passed Class V, but knew nothing. Thanks to Samrath, I can now talk to you with confidence.' The results are now visible in national data. Punjab has surpassed the national average in foundational learning by 18% in Grade III and 26-28% in Grade VI. That is our real medal."Bains stated that Mission Samrath has already become one of India's largest foundational learning programmes, covering nearly 12 lakh students and engaging over 70,000 teachers annually, with its level-based teaching approach grouping students by learning level rather than grade, contributing to Punjab's top rank in Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH).Manish Sisodia said, "Punjab has proven that govt schools can lead the nation. Being ranked number one in PARAKH 2024 is testament to that. With Mission Samrath 4.0, the state ensures every child is in school every day and learning well. This is a step towards global excellence." MSID:: 130142248 413 |