PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Department has launched a Student e-attendance system in degree colleges across the province, enabling parents to monitor their children’s attendance through SMS alerts from home.

Provincial Minister for Higher Education and Local Government Meena Khan Afridi inaugurated the system at a ceremony held at Government Degree College here on Thursday. Representatives of Zong Telecom, Secretary Higher Education, Director Higher Education, teachers and students attended the event.

The Higher Education Department and Zong Telecom also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the digital attendance system.

Speaking at the ceremony, Meena Khan Afridi said the system would regularly inform parents about their children’s attendance through SMS, including details of classes in which a student remained absent.

He said the department was continuing its digital transformation in various areas to modernise higher education. The department had already introduced an e-transfer system and launched a ranking system for universities in the province.

The minister said a hard-area allowance was also being introduced to encourage teachers serving in remote and difficult areas, providing additional support to those posted in such locations.

He also announced the construction of a state-of-the-art hall at Government Degree College Peshawar to provide students with modern educational facilities.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2026