Guwahati: In a major step aimed at reducing the school dropout rate, the Assam Education Department has introduced an automated SMS alert system to notify parents if students remain absent from school without authorization.
The initiative was formally launched on Monday by Education Minister Ranoj Pegu at the office of the Mission Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, in Guwahati. The system is intended to curb irregular attendance and prevent students from dropping out midway through their education.
Under the new mechanism, parents will receive SMS alerts if a student remains absent for five consecutive days. Follow-up messages will be sent after 10 days and 15 days of continued absence. At the same time, class teachers will also be alerted and asked to identify the reasons behind the student’s absence and take corrective steps.
The minister said the system would be implemented through the ‘Shiksha Setu’ platform and messages would be sent in five languages—Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Hindi and English, depending on the local language of the district.
Stating that Assam’s dropout rate remains higher than the national average, Pegu said the initiative aims to improve monitoring and awareness among parents and teachers. He added that reducing absenteeism is key to lowering the dropout rate.
Citing a UNICEF-supported study, the minister said lack of awareness, illiteracy, natural disasters, festivals and economic hardship are among the major reasons for students discontinuing their education. In many cases, students stay away from school without the knowledge of their parents.
While Assam performs better than the national average in terms of Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), the minister stressed the need for sustained efforts to ensure regular attendance. He also said the state government would examine the possibility of adjusting the academic calendar in line with other boards and states.
The Education Department hopes the new system will play a significant role in reducing dropout rates across the state.
