The Punjab government is set to introduce a new SMS alert system in government schools from April 1 to strengthen the education system. Under this initiative, parents will receive an instant SMS notification if their child is absent from school. Notably, the system will also inform parents about teacher absenteeism, making it a broader step towards improving accountability.
The move aims to increase attendance in schools and bring greater transparency to the education system. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated that accountability is essential to strengthening education, and this SMS alert system will help connect parents more directly with their children’s academic journey.
As per the new arrangement, schools will be required to mark student attendance online within a fixed time after the school day begins. If a student is marked absent, an SMS will be immediately sent to their parents’ mobile number.
In cases where a student remains absent for two consecutive days, school staff will directly contact the family to understand the reason behind the absence. To facilitate this process, a new attendance module has been added to the e-Punjab portal, ensuring real-time monitoring and updates.
A key feature of the system is that it will also track the attendance of teachers. If a teacher is absent, the information will be shared with parents through SMS alerts. This step is expected to improve accountability within schools and strengthen trust between parents and the education system.
Details about the initiative were shared during a Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting held across the state, which saw participation from over 18 lakh parents. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh described it as one of the largest school-community engagement drives in the country.
During the event, schools not only distributed report cards but also held detailed discussions on students’ academic progress, behaviour, and overall development. Exhibitions of student projects and health awareness programmes were also organised.
Under the new system, school principals have been designated as nodal officers. They will be responsible for ensuring timely attendance updates by teachers and maintaining accurate parent contact details on the portal. Schools will also take action in cases of prolonged student absence.
This initiative is part of the Punjab government’s broader education reform strategy aimed at improving the quality of government schools and bringing them on par with private institutions. The state has increased its education budget and launched several new schemes to support this goal.
With this step, Punjab joins other states that are using technology to monitor attendance and enhance efficiency in the school system.
