Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah inaugurated the Student Attendance Monitoring and Redress System (SAMRS) on Thursday, terming it a groundbreaking step toward modernising Pakistan’s education governance through technology and data-driven management. The digital platform connects student attendance with school facilities, teacher performance, and learning outcomes, making it the first integrated system of its kind in the province. He said the system will allow policymakers to make informed decisions by identifying student challenges early and ensuring timely intervention.
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The launch event, held at a local hotel, was attended by Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah, World Bank Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar, and representatives from Unicef, ADB, GPE, the British Council, and JICA. The chief minister noted that SAMRS has already been rolled out in 600 schools across 12 districts, with expansion plans for four additional districts in partnership with Unicef. He added that SAMRS not only tracks attendance but also predicts dropouts, suggests corrective actions, and enhances school-level governance through real-time data.
Moreover, Murad Ali Shah announced that the provincial government would institutionalise SAMRS under a new policy framework to ensure its sustainability and integration with Sindh’s broader education management structure. He appreciated the efforts of the School Education Department, the Reform Support Unit, and the SELECT Project team for developing the platform and acknowledged the continued support of global education partners. He also proposed linking SAMRS with health, nutrition, and social welfare programs to address children’s holistic needs.
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Education Minister Syed Sardar Shah described SAMRS as a transformative digital tool that unifies attendance, performance, and infrastructure data for better decision-making. He revealed that with the help of NADRA, students’ identities are being verified through B-Forms, ensuring that every enrolled child is properly documented within the system. Shah added that 99% of schools using SAMRS have successfully reported attendance data, while 92% have implemented corrective actions, marking tangible progress in improving education oversight.
World Bank Country Director Bolormaa Amgaabazar lauded the Sindh government’s leadership in conceptualising and executing SAMRS, calling it a model for other provinces. She said the system demonstrates how local innovation and international collaboration can work together to strengthen public education and ensure that every child in Sindh has access to quality schooling.