Punjab school attendance SMS alerts have been introduced under Mission Samrath 4.0, enabling parents to receive daily updates on their child’s presence and absence. (Representative image)Parents of students in the state-runs schools will now receive daily SMS alerts regarding their children’s attendance, marking a shift towards real-time accountability, as the Punjab government on Thursday rolled out a tracking system under its Mission Samrath 4.0, a flagship foundational learning programme.Launching the mission, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, along with AAP’s Punjab affairs incharge Manish Sisodia, declared it as the next phase of the government’s flagship ‘Sikhya Kranti’.“Already ranked No. 1 in the PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) survey, Punjab is now moving from recognition to results by tightening classroom accountability and scaling proven teaching practices,” Bains said.He underscored that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has raised the education budget to Rs 19,279 crore in 2026-27, from Rs 12,657 crore in 2021-22, ensuring funds reach classrooms. “This money isn’t just on paper. It has reached every school. Teachers used to collect donations to repair toilets or buy brooms during past regimes. Now, they say, don’t send grants, we haven’t spent the last one,” said Bains.The minister said that textbooks now reach students on time, adding, “Earlier, teachers photocopied pages till September or October as books wouldn’t arrive. This year, the Punjab Government delivered textbooks to every child on April 1, free of cost, through meticulous planning and political will.”He said the government has introduced the attendance-tracking system as part of Mission Samrath 2026-27.“Parents will receive daily SMS alerts on their child’s attendance, with notifications for every absence, aiming to boost regular attendance, learning continuity and classroom engagement. Any child absent for seven days will trigger a district-level parent contact, while absence beyond 15 days will be flagged to state headquarters. This will ensure both learning continuity and child safety,” Bains said.Story continues below this adTalking about the Mission Samarth, he said, “This phase focuses on enhancing teaching quality and accountability through attendance tracking. Our goal is to ensure that every child achieves strong foundational learning,” he said.Explaining the core focus of Mission Samrath 4.0, he said, “The programme ensures that children in grades 3 to 8 master reading, writing and mathematics.” The results, he said, are now visible in national data. “Punjab has surpassed the national average in foundational learning by 18% in grade 3 and 26–28% in grade 6. That is our real medal,” he added.Sisodia released the Mission Samrath Compendium, documenting 38 proven classroom practices developed by Punjab’s teachers, which will now be implemented across schools to accelerate learning outcomes, particularly for students requiring additional support.“Punjab has proven that government schools can lead the nation. Being ranked number one in PARAKH 2024 is testament to that. With Mission Samrath 4.0, the state ensures every child is in school every day and learning well. Every child cannot be sent to IIT, but the government’s duty is to ensure that no child falls below the bottom line. Because if a system allows any child to remain beneath that line, the government has failed. A child is not a statistic. A child is hope,” he said.Story continues below this adSisodia added, “Across the country, people read speeches of education ministers, prime ministers and chief ministers. But speeches alone do not change lives. Examples do. A parent, busy elsewhere, receives a simple message: ‘Your ward has reached school safely.’ That small act of accountability, that real-time reassurance, is worth more than a thousand grand declarations.”Secretary School Education Sonali Giri said, “We will ensure every student and parent feels proud to be part of government schools.”Mission Samrath follows a focused, classroom-driven approach by teaching children according to their learning level rather than grade, supported by regular assessments to identify gaps, activity-based learning, and continuous mentoring for teachers.