By - Asangba Tzudir
Under the NECTAR project with World Bank backing Nagaland’s SMILE (Smart Attendance Management & Informative Leaves) app was envisioned as a digital leap toward accountability in government School education. Through facial recognition, it aimed to bring an end to negligent attendance and reduced monitoring. But half a year on, the SMILE dashboard revealed a distressing reality. Report shows mass absenteeism. In a span of five months from February 1 to June 30, 2025, a staggering 1,525 teachers and employees never once marked their attendance. Only 132 schools and 5 establishments of 2,002 achieved 80% or greater attendance. On the flip, 1,071 schools logged figures below 50%, while 27 schools failed to register a single entry. Interestingly, the department revealed that, “many employees have also attempted to mark their attendance using methods that fall under suspicious category.” To this end, the department has warned that action will be initiated against defaulting employees and schools while also instructing the heads of institutions to be more vigilant so as to ensure regular usage.
While the many schools with figures below 50% requires a ground estimation and evaluation in order to delve deeply into the issues behind the very poor attendance, the 27 Schools that failed to register even a single entry is serious, even as reports of “ghost teachers” and “empty classrooms” continues. Technical issues may cause delays or even fail in attendance marking, but total absence cannot simply be justified. The head or in-charge of the school can always maintain manual attendance register. It is all about accountability in the face of duty and integrity. The Department of School Education may have warned of strict disciplinary action, but such policy rhetoric alone cannot inculcate a culture of accountability. Along with digital tools there is need for structural improvements and civic engagement.
First and foremost, the sincerity, responsibility and integrity of the management really matters. Many head teachers must be incentivised, if needed, for ensuring staff compliance. Simply mandating attendance via apps is not enough, and calls for strict supervisors who can strictly supervise and take necessary corrective steps especially for frequent defaulters.
Secondly, there is need for decentralized monitoring. Education boards or committees must be empowered to strictly review attendance dashboards including surprise checking. It also calls for collective responsibility and parents also play a very crucial role in actively involving in the affairs of the school, and which will greatly trigger the impulses to bring responsible change.
Thirdly, there is always a way out through the application of punitive measures. However, it should be coupled with constructive incentives including proper recognition and acknowledgement of those who abide sincerely to their call to duty which will encourage the others too. Teachers showing exemplary attendance and classroom engagement deserve recognition. Simply reprimanding against non-compliance will not always help in the overall growth and development.
In sum, while the SMILE App has stripped away any illusion, the problem of absenteeism is simply not small but deep and systemic. The Smile App alone is not going to work in School’s transformation but the frequent issues of under-staffing, management, infrastructure, and community engagement which are fundamentally weak needs to be addressed first, otherwise the SMILE App will remain a warning siren and not a solution because technology amplifies reality, but cannot create it. SMILE can identify faces and geo-locations, but only communities can foster commitment and change. The SMILE App needs a decisive extension not just to record attendance, but to catalyse teaching, accountability, and transformation.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir writes a weekly guest editorial for the Morung Express. Comments can be emailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
