TEACHER — CLASS ABSENTEES & PARENT ALERTS
Purpose
View who was absent today (or recent days), contact parents by phone/WhatsApp, and send SMS and/or WhatsApp absence alerts directly from the app.
Who uses it
Teachers, school admin staff, and super admin.
Opening the screen
Dashboard → Class Absentees
Screen layout
Summary header (example)
Today (10 Jun)
Section: Licence 1 (BCOM) - Section A
2 0 2
Total Present AbsentAbsent student card (example)
☐ Madisyn Lebsack (32682588)
👤 Caleb Schroeder (parent)
📞 +243 991 214 567 [Call] [WhatsApp]
[ Send SMS ] [ Send WhatsApp ] [ SMS + WhatsApp ]Step-by-step — Notify one parent
- Find student in absent list
- Tap Send SMS (or WhatsApp / both)
- Confirm dialog: *"Send absence notification to parent of Madisyn Lebsack?"*
- Choose channels if prompted: ☑ SMS ☑ WhatsApp
- Tap Send Notification
- Result snackbar, e.g.: *"Notifications sent for 1 student(s). (Sent: 1, Failed: 0)"*
Sample SMS received by parent:
> Dear Parent, your child Madisyn Lebsack was marked absent from Green Valley International School on 10/06/2026. Please contact the school if you have any questions.
Step-by-step — Bulk notify
- Tap Select all absent students (or tick individual checkboxes)
- Bottom bar: Notify Selected (2)
- Choose SMS / WhatsApp / both
- Confirm and send
Contact actions
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Green phone icon | Opens device dialer with parent number |
| WhatsApp icon | Opens WhatsApp chat with parent |
| Phone row tap | Bottom sheet with full number and actions |
Toolbar actions
| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| Refresh | Reload absentee data from server |
| Select All | Tick all absent students in section |
| Clear selection | Untick all |
When notifications fail
The app shows the specific server reason, for example:
| Message | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Template 'student_absent' missing | SMS template not configured | School admin: Configuration → SMS Templates |
| No parent phone number on file | Parent record incomplete | Update parent phone on web admin |
| Insufficient credits | SMS balance empty | Super admin: recharge credits |
| sms: Provider error | Gateway misconfigured | Check SMS provider in Configuration |
Example story
Mr. Dupont selects two absent students, sends SMS + WhatsApp to both parents before 09:30. One succeeds; one fails with *"No parent phone number on file"* — he calls the office to update the parent record for Yao Christian.
Common questions
Q: Student not listed but was absent.
A: Attendance may not be saved yet, or student is in a section you don't access.
Q: Can I notify for yesterday?
A: The report groups by date; select students from the relevant date section.
Still need help?
Ask on the forum