No more manual attendance: KP introduces e-attendance in colleges

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Department has introduced an e-attendance system in government degree colleges, allowing parents to monitor their children’s attendance remotely.

Higher Education and Local Government Minister Meena Khan Afridi inaugurated the system at Government Degree College Peshawar. The ceremony was attended by representatives of Zong Telecom, the Higher Education Secretary, Director Higher Education, teachers and students.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Higher Education Department and Zong Telecom for implementation of the e-attendance system.

Speaking at the ceremony, Meena Khan Afridi said parents would receive SMS alerts about their children’s attendance and would be able to check which classes students attended or missed.

He said the initiative was part of efforts to digitise the higher education system and improve transparency and monitoring in colleges.

The minister said an e-transfer system had already been introduced in the Higher Education Department to facilitate the transfer of teaching staff.

He added that a university ranking system had also been introduced in the province to improve the performance and quality of higher education institutions.

Meena Khan Afridi said the provincial govt was also introducing a hard-area allowance for teachers serving in remote and difficult areas. The initiative aims to encourage teachers to serve in far-flung areas and improve educational services there.

The minister also announced the construction of a state-of-the-art hall at Government Degree College Peshawar.

He said the govt was committed to using technology to improve governance, transparency and accountability in the higher education sector.