KARACHI: FRAMES, Sindh’s new Facial Recognition Attendance Monitoring and Evaluation System, will begin its pilot phase on August 17 in six districts as the provincial government moves to curb absenteeism among teachers and school staff. The initiative, approved by the Sindh government, aims to improve accountability in public schools through real-time attendance monitoring using facial recognition technology.

The decision was made during a meeting of the School Education Department chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, School Education Secretary Zahid Abbasi and senior officials attended the session to review implementation plans and readiness for the new digital system.

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FRAMES to Launch in Six Pilot Districts

More than 100 words into the reform plan, FRAMES emerged as the centrepiece of Sindh’s strategy to strengthen education governance.

Officials said one district from each division has been selected for the pilot phase, and all teaching and non-teaching staff in those districts have already been registered in the system.

The facial recognition platform will verify attendance in real time and record staff entry and exit times. The application will operate both online and offline, allowing schools in areas with limited internet access to use the system without disruption.

Authorities have also geo-tagged schools to improve the accuracy of attendance records and strengthen monitoring.

Government Targets Greater Accountability

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah described the initiative as a major step towards improving governance in the education sector.

He said regular teacher attendance plays a vital role in delivering quality education and improving learning outcomes.

“Every child has the right to quality education, and this requires teachers and staff to fulfil their responsibilities effectively,” the chief minister said.

He directed the School Education Department to ensure smooth implementation during the pilot phase, establish an effective support mechanism and closely monitor the system before expanding it across Sindh.

Province-Wide Expansion Planned

Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah called the facial recognition system an important milestone in the province’s ongoing education reforms.

He said technology-based solutions would help improve transparency, performance and accountability throughout the public school system.

The meeting also reviewed technical preparations, implementation timelines and field readiness. Officials said the government plans to extend FRAMES to all districts after successfully completing the pilot programme.