In a landmark move towards education reform, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday inaugurated the Student Attendance Monitoring and Redress System (SAMRS), Pakistan’s first integrated digital platform linking student attendance with school facilities, teacher performance, and learning outcomes.
Described as a major innovation, SAMRS is designed to enable evidence-based decision-making, allowing the provincial government to identify student challenges and implement timely interventions to prevent dropouts while strengthening school administration.
“SAMRS is a model that Pakistan can follow,” CM Shah said during the launch ceremony, highlighting the system’s institutionalisation through new policies for long-term sustainability and integration with Sindh’s education governance framework.
Already operational in 600 schools across 12 districts, with expansion into four more districts supported by UNICEF, SAMRS not only records attendance but also predicts students at risk of dropping out and recommends targeted measures to keep them in school.
The launch was attended by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, World Bank Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar, and senior representatives from UNICEF, the Global Partnership for Education, and other development partners.
CM Shah also emphasized the broader $154.7 million SELECT Project, funded by the World Bank and GPE, which aims to reduce learning poverty and improve school attendance, particularly for girls. He suggested that SAMRS could eventually integrate with child health, nutrition, and immunization programs for a more holistic approach to child welfare.
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A province-wide rollout is planned with structured training programs for educators. “Every child deserves to be present, engaged, and thriving. This is the future we are building together,” CM Shah concluded, underscoring the government’s commitment to transforming education in Sindh.