Schools turn to artificial intelligence for efficient campus administration

By Patricia B. Mirasol

Schools are turning to Edusuite, an artificial intelligence-powered management system that automates campus administration.

“The pandemic made us realize our schools need to go digital,” said Patricia Mauricio, assistant directress for finance of the Sacred Heart Academy of Pasig. “It has been an extraordinarily challenging time for us since we never relied on any management system as we were used to a face-to-face approach.”

Three out of four Filipino students in the K-12 program have enrolled in public and private schools in the country for school year 2020–2021. In public schools, 88% of those who enrolled last school year registered again. The Department of Education is advocating blended learning because physical distancing restrictions are still in place and not everyone has access to digital resources.

POWERED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Edusuite described in a July 29 media conference how its school management system is digitally transforming schools to respond to the need for efficient campus administration amid the global crisis.

Using artificial intelligence and data analytics, Edusuite’s cloud computing solutions enable automatic student advising, online enlistment and enrollment, forecasting of class demand, and automated scheduling and computation of assessments. The software also allows students to pick relevant subjects as real-time availability is reflected on the school’s portal. The system moreover reduces the processing time of student registration and school fee payments.

Automated school management systems have become more relevant today especially with the continued imposition of quarantine measures to help curb COVID-19’s spread.

“This year, we’ve achieved our target to help over 25,000 students across 10 schools or more. However, because of the COVID-19 situation, many more schools are in need of our solution,” Edusuite co-founder and president Niel Dagondon said. The school management provider counts Sacred Heart Academy in Pasig City, University of San Agustin in Iloilo City, and Joji Ilagan Bian Career Foundation Center in Davao City and General Santos City as its most recent school clients.

“While we look forward to going back to what normal used to be like, schools must also transform their systems to respond better to current and future needs,” he said.

Edusuite is among the first batch of recipients of the Startup Research Grant Program of the Department of Science and Technology through the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development in 2017.