KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah launched the Student Attendance Monitoring and Redress System (SAMRS), calling it a “transformative and nationally replicable model” that uses technology and data to improve education in the province.
Speaking at the launch ceremony held at a local hotel, the chief minister said this was the first time any province in Pakistan had introduced a digital system connecting student attendance, school infrastructure, teacher performance, and learning outcomes.
“This is more than a monitoring tool — it helps us make decisions based on real data instead of assumptions,” he said. “It allows us to identify the challenges our students face and act quickly to solve them.”
The CM said the system would help reduce absenteeism and improve overall school management, adding that it could serve as a model for other provinces.
Attendance and accountability
The event was attended by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, World Bank Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar, representatives of UNICEF, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Asian Development Bank (ADB), British Council, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and officials from the School Education and Literacy Department (SELD).
Murad Ali Shah said SAMRS had already started working in 600 schools across 12 districts, with plans to expand to four more districts under a UNICEF-supported initiative. The system not only tracks attendance but also predicts dropout risks, suggests timely actions, and strengthens school management.
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He added that the Sindh government was now institutionalising SAMRS through a new policy to ensure long-term sustainability and integration with the province’s education framework.
The CM thanked the World Bank, GPE, and other development partners for their technical support and commitment to improving public education. He also praised the SELD, Reform Support Unit (RSU), and the Sindh Early Learning Enhancement through Classroom Transformation (SELECT) project team for their innovation and dedication.
Education linked to child well-being
Murad Ali Shah said education should be linked with health, nutrition, and child protection. He called for integrating SAMRS with child immunisation programmes, health screenings, and social safety systems.
“Schools must be more than classrooms — they should be centres of child well-being and community trust,” he added.
Minister terms it a ‘game-changer’
Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah called SAMRS a “landmark digital achievement”, saying it connects attendance, performance, and school infrastructure data to guide better decisions.
He said that with the help of NADRA, student identities were being verified through B-Form numbers instead of system-generated IDs, ensuring every child in Sindh is counted and supported.
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According to the minister, 99% of schools using SAMRS had recorded attendance, and 92% had applied redress procedures — a major step toward reducing school dropouts.
World Bank Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar said SAMRS was not a donor-driven project but a government-led effort to strengthen education in Sindh. “It shows the government’s commitment to improving education, not just monitoring attendance,” she said.
SELECT project support
The chief minister also spoke about the SELECT Project, funded by the World Bank and GPE, which focuses on early-grade literacy, teacher training, climate-resilient school infrastructure, and higher student retention through SAMRS.
The $154.7 million programme covers 12 districts and aims to reduce learning poverty, especially among girls. The government also plans to expand SAMRS across Sindh through a structured training programme for master trainers, cluster heads, and satellite schools.
“This is how innovation becomes a lasting change,” the CM said. “Our goal is to ensure that no child in Sindh is left behind. Every child deserves to be present, learning, and thriving.”
