The Sindh government has launched the pilot phase of its Facial Recognition Attendance Monitoring and Evaluation System, known as FRAMES, to digitally track the attendance of teaching and non teaching staff in government schools. The system was formally rolled out on August 17 across six districts, one selected from each division of the province, marking a significant technology driven push to address longstanding concerns around teacher absenteeism in Sindh’s public education sector.
The pilot phase covers Karachi East, Hyderabad, Naushahro Feroze, Jacobabad, Ghotki and Umerkot, and will monitor the attendance of 49,565 teaching and non teaching employees across these districts. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah approved the launch of FRAMES during a high level meeting of the School Education Department, attended by Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, School Education Secretary Zahid Abbasi and other senior officials. Officials confirmed that the department has completed all technical preparations for the rollout, including the geo tagging of participating schools ahead of launch.
Under the system, teachers can mark their attendance using the app on any mobile phone, with the technology built to function in both online and offline modes, allowing attendance to be recorded even in areas with limited internet connectivity. Once connectivity is restored, records update automatically, and teachers are required to log both their arrival and departure through the app. The application also allows staff to view and download their monthly attendance records and submit leave requests online for approval, while administrative officers, school heads and teachers have already completed training ahead of the rollout.
Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah described FRAMES as more than a simple attendance mechanism, framing it instead as a tool to ensure students have teachers available in classrooms when needed. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah characterized the system as a major governance reform intended to promote transparency, accountability and effective oversight within Sindh’s schools, with officials stating that a successful pilot will be followed by phased expansion across the remaining districts of the province based on results and experience gathered during this initial rollout.
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