KISWATE Digital Attendance & Discipline Tracking Register, an innovative open-source solution, is set to transform school operations across Kenya. Developed by Kenyan-born teacher and Data Scientist Pius Odhiambo after 11 years of research in the United States, the free app aims to dramatically reduce teacher shortages, curb absenteeism, and streamline timetabling in schools offering the CBC/CBE curriculum.
Available soon on major app stores, the KISWATE app leverages data-driven insights to help schools cut operational costs, improve efficiency, and transition into SMART digital institutions.
Solving the Growing Teacher Shortage Crisis in Kenya
Kenya’s education system is at a crossroads. In January 2026, the country will simultaneously run:
- Form 3 and 4 (8-4-4 system): Students remain in their classes while teachers rotate.
- Grade 10 (CBE system): A university-style approach where students move from one classroom to another in search of teachers.
This dual system will significantly complicate lesson scheduling, classroom allocation, and teacher deployment, especially for principals who may lack the technical training required to manage such complexity. Teacher shortages and crowded timetables threaten to overwhelm many schools. This is where the KISWATE Digital Register becomes invaluable.
– Advertisement –
Dynamic Digital Timetabling for Effective School Management
The app features a dynamic digital timetabling tool that helps principals:
- Estimate teacher shortages
- Automate lesson scheduling
- Reduce missed lessons due to unplanned absenteeism
- Improve CBE curriculum implementation
By digitizing attendance and discipline tracking, the app supports Grades 7–12 in identifying inefficiencies and improving teacher accountability.
SMART ID Technology: Transforming Kenyan Schools
KISWATE introduces SMART ID technology, converting traditional paper registers into a SMART Digital Register. This innovation marks the beginning of truly SMART schools in Kenya.
Although the app itself will be free, learners will pay for SMART IDs, similar to current analogue ID requirements.
A Call for Data-Driven Educational Management
Mr. Odhiambo urges the Government of Kenya to begin employing Data Scientists at county levels to support schools in adopting data-driven operations. With accurate data, schools can:
- Reduce waste
- Improve planning
- Enhance educational outcomes
He argues that achieving perfect student and teacher attendance is the foundation upon which all other school challenges can be resolved.
Introducing the A/B Shift System to Ease Pressure
To further mitigate teacher and classroom shortages, Odhiambo recommends adopting an A-Day/B-Day shift system, commonly used in some U.S. school districts. This model can:
- Reduce demand for teachers
- Alleviate classroom congestion
- Improve scheduling flexibility
Empowering Africa Through Education Technology
The rollout plan spans six years across Kenyan schools before expanding to other African nations. The long-term objective is to empower African education systems to join the Data Revolution and embrace modern digital tools.
When fully implemented, the system will also reduce the cost of school supplies like pens and pencils, lowering the financial burden on parents.
Digital School Tuckshop: Convenience for Parents
KISWATE-ready SMART schools will include digital school tuckshops, enabling parents to shop online for school supplies. Students will receive alerts through their teachers and use their SMART IDs to collect items—saving parents the time and cost of traveling to schools.
A Kenyan Innovation for Africa’s Digital Future
True to the principle that charity begins at home, the system will first launch in Kenya, Mr. Odhiambo’s birthplace, before expanding across Africa. As he notes, the future is digital, and organizations that fail to embrace digitization risk becoming obsolete.
