KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City has brought 36,280 students, teachers and staff under an integrated digital attendance system as part of its effort to make community schools technology-friendly.
Chief of the Education Department, Namraj Dhakal, said the system covers students studying in community schools, teachers, facilitators at early childhood development centers and other staff from 83 schools within the metropolis.
The initiative was launched after Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol directed the implementation of an integrated electronic attendance system on January 27. Following the directive, the Education Department and the Information Technology Department began enrolling school communities into the digital platform.
According to Dhakal, after capacity-building programs on data entry, updates and report generation, schools have themselves started entering records into the system. He said there are around 45,000 students up to Grade 10, along with teachers and staff, within the metropolis.
The department has decided to release grants and budget allocations to schools from March 15 based on data and records maintained in the digital attendance system.
During a meeting with principals of community schools held on February 25 and 26, Dhakal urged schools to immediately complete remaining e-attendance tasks, warning that grants could not be disbursed if the system is not effectively implemented.
The metropolis is also conducting infrastructure surveys to support physical development of schools. A budget of Rs 360 million has been allocated for this purpose in the current fiscal year. According to Dhakal, master plans have been prepared for four schools in the first phase and 11 in the second phase, while detailed project reports are being prepared for 23 schools in the third phase.
Targeting the Secondary Education Examination (SEE), the metropolis has launched special preparatory classes in 11 schools—six in the first phase and five in the second—through subject experts and resource teachers. The Education Department has stated it will manage additional special classes for other schools upon written request.
The department is also preparing to complete teacher post adjustments by the end of April and deploy teachers in accordance with approved positions from the new academic session beginning in May.
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