QUETTA: In a significant move to tackle the persistent issue of student disengagement, the Balochistan Education Department has launched an innovative Early Warning System designed to proactively identify and support children at risk of dropping out of school.
The new initiative aims to shift the approach from reacting to dropouts to preventing them. The system will utilize specialized software to continuously monitor and assess student performance and attendance patterns. By analyzing this data, the software will flag students who show early signs of disengagement, such as a decline in academic performance or a sudden increase in absenteeism, allowing for timely intervention before they leave the education system altogether.
According to the provincial education department, the success of this system hinges on a collaborative effort. Once a student is identified as being at risk, the school administration will immediately engage with the child’s parents or guardians. This partnership between the school and the home is intended to create a supportive network to understand the underlying reasons for the student’s struggle—which could range from academic difficulties to economic pressures—and to develop a tailored plan to address them.
The department has directed all participating schools to ensure close cooperation with parents to take concrete steps for children who leave their education incomplete. The ultimate goal is to reintegrate these students into the classroom and provide them with the necessary support to complete their schooling.
This data-driven strategy represents a modern and proactive step for Balochistan’s education sector. If successfully implemented, the Early Warning System has the potential to significantly boost student retention rates, ensuring that more children in the province are able to complete their education and build a brighter future.
Meanwhile in a significant move for the journalist community, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti laid the foundation stone for a Media Housing Scheme in Quetta, announcing a major welfare initiative for low-income and martyred journalists.
During an emotionally charged ceremony, the Chief Minister announced that free flats would be provided to the families of martyred journalists from across Balochistan. Furthermore, he made a landmark pledge, stating that the provincial government would bear all expenses for the higher education of their children, whether at prestigious local institutions like Lawrence College and Aitchison or international universities like Oxford and Harvard.
