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DWU Student Develops KlasMate PNG to Support Teachers and Improve Report Card Management

A simple observation during a community outreach program has led to the development of an innovative digital solution aimed at easing the workload of teachers in Papua New Guinea.

Taisen Marainump, a third-year student from the Information Systems Department at Divine Word University, Madang Campus has developed KlasMate PNG, an offline report card management system designed to help teachers manage student records, assessments, attendance, and report card preparation more efficiently.

The idea for the application emerged during a Divine Word Adventist Student Association (DASA) outreach program at Naru Adventist Primary School in the Usino-Bundi District of Madang Province. While serving in the community, Marainump observed teachers spending considerable time manually calculating marks, recording grades, organizing assessments, and preparing student report cards.

Recognizing the challenges faced by teachers, particularly in rural schools with limited resources, he saw an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained through his studies to create a practical solution.

“I wanted to develop something that could genuinely help teachers and make their daily work easier,” said Taisen.

Developed using Python, KlasMate PNG was designed as a standalone offline application, making it suitable for schools where internet connectivity is unreliable, expensive, or unavailable. The system allows teachers to manage student registration, class and subject information, assessment records, attendance, automatic mark calculations, and report card generation from a single platform.

One of the key benefits of the application is its ability to significantly reduce the time teachers spend on repetitive administrative tasks. Instead of manually calculating and compiling student results, teachers can use the system to automate much of the process, enabling them to focus more on teaching and supporting student learning.

The application is already making a positive impact at Naru Adventist Primary School, where teachers participated in testing and evaluating the system. Their feedback played a vital role in refining the application and ensuring that it met the practical needs of educators.

Taisen worked closely with teachers throughout the development process, gathering information about their challenges and incorporating their suggestions into the system's design. This collaborative approach resulted in a user-friendly solution tailored to the realities of Papua New Guinea's education sector.

Following the completion of the initial version, Taisen returned to Naru Adventist Primary School to demonstrate the system and gather further feedback. Teachers responded positively to the application, recognising its potential to streamline report card preparation and improve the management of student information.

For Naru Adventist Primary School, KlasMate PNG provides a more organized and efficient way to handle academic records while reducing human error associated with manual calculations. The system also enables the school to maintain accurate student data and generate report cards more quickly and consistently.

Beyond assisting a single school, Taisen envisions KlasMate PNG becoming a valuable resource for other primary schools across Papua New Guinea facing similar challenges.

He believes that technology can play an important role in supporting teachers, particularly in rural and remote communities where access to digital tools remains limited.

The development of KlasMate PNG highlights the practical impact of student innovation and demonstrates how knowledge gained in the lecture rooms can be applied to address real-world challenges. It also reflects Divine Word University's commitment to producing graduates who are equipped to use their skills and expertise in service to communities.

What began as a simple observation has evolved into a meaningful innovation with the potential to support teachers, improve academic record management, and contribute to the digital transformation of primary education in Papua New Guinea.

Through KlasMate PNG, Taisen Marainump has shown that meaningful change often starts with identifying a problem, listening to those affected, and developing solutions that make a difference where they are needed most.