Chandigarh: Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said there are plans to roll out a students' absent alert SMS system in all government schools, boosting regular attendance and further strengthening the education system.
The SMS alerts will notify parents when their child is absent. The move will promote accountability, he said.
To enhance community participation to improve student learning outcomes under the ongoing "Punjab Sikhya Kranti" drive, the Punjab government on Saturday organised a statewide Mega Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM) across all government primary, middle, high and senior secondary schools.
The initiative succeeded in reaching over 18 lakh parents in a single day, making it one of the largest school-community engagement exercises in the country, an official statement said.
The education minister said, "Parents were sensitised about the students' absent alert SMS system through structured orientations and one-on-one discussions. The Mega PTM went beyond report card distribution, offering holistic feedback on each child's progress.
"Schools created welcoming environments, showcased student work through exhibitions and focused on HPV vaccination for girls to promote adolescent health."
Terming the Mega PTM as a critical step towards strengthening the state's education ecosystem, Bains said, "All government schools dedicated the entire day exclusively to parent-teacher-student interactions, transforming classrooms into collaborative spaces focused on meaningful dialogue rather than routine academic transactions to build a responsive and inclusive public education system."
Bains emphasised that Punjab Sikhya Kranti is about building strong partnerships between schools and families and not just infrastructure. When parents and teachers work together, every child benefits. This Mega PTM aimed to strengthen that partnership across Punjab's government schools, he said.
"The PTM meeting also served as a platform for an enrolment drive for the new academic session to encourage admissions in government schools, while disseminating information on key quality initiatives such as Mission Samarth, Hunar Sikhya and other flagship programmes," he added.
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.