When schools think about a mobile app, the first question is usually:
"Do parents really use it?"
It's a fair question.
The answer depends on one thing. If the app is useful in daily school life, parents will naturally keep using it.
Recently, while checking one of our production databases, we noticed something interesting.
A single school had crossed 1,979,326 mobile app notifications in just over a year.
The first notification was sent on 15 June 2025.
That made us look back and understand what was happening.
A School from a Tier-3 City
This wasn't a large international school or a chain of schools.
It was Gurukul Public School, Kawardha, a CBSE-affiliated school located in a tier-3 city in Chhattisgarh.
Like every school, they needed to communicate with parents every day.
Sometimes it was about attendance.
Sometimes homework.
Sometimes fee reminders.
Sometimes exam schedules.
Sometimes transport updates.
Instead of depending only on SMS, they started using the InstiKit mobile application for day-to-day communication.
Over time, sending notifications became a normal part of their daily work.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
Here are the actual numbers from the production database.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| First Notification | 15 June 2025 |
| Total Notifications Sent | 1,979,326+ |
| Platform | InstiKit Mobile App |
| School | Gurukul Public School, Kawardha |
| Board | CBSE |
These are not estimated figures.
They are actual records generated by the application over the course of a year.
Why Were So Many Notifications Sent?
Schools communicate much more often than people imagine.
Parents don't just receive holiday notices.
They receive updates throughout the academic year, such as:
- Attendance alerts
- Homework
- Fee reminders
- Circulars
- Examination schedules
- Holiday and Other announcements
Each notification is small.
Together, they keep parents connected with what is happening in school.
The Hidden Problem with SMS
SMS is still useful for certain situations.
But because every message has a cost, schools usually think twice before sending one.
Questions like these become common:
- Is this important enough for an SMS?
- Can we wait until tomorrow?
- Should we combine multiple notices into one message?
As a result, communication becomes less frequent.
With mobile app push notifications, that hesitation disappears.
Teachers and administrators can share updates instantly without worrying about the cost of every single message.
What Would Nearly 2 Million SMS Cost?
Let's do a simple calculation.
If the same 1,979,326 notifications had been sent through SMS:
| SMS Rate | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| ₹0.15 per SMS | ₹2,96,899 |
| ₹0.20 per SMS | ₹3,95,865 |
That is approximately ₹3 to ₹4 lakh spent only on sending messages.
Push notifications through the mobile app don't have this per-message cost.
Instead of limiting communication, schools can focus on keeping parents informed.
SMS pricing varies depending on the service provider and volume. The figures above are based on commonly available bulk SMS pricing in India.
Better Communication Builds Trust
One thing we have observed across schools is simple.
Parents don't expect schools to call them every day.
They simply want to stay informed.
A quick notification about attendance.
A reminder about tomorrow's exam.
An update that the school bus will arrive late.
A photo from today's annual function.
These small updates make parents feel connected with the school.
Over time, that builds trust.
A Mobile App Is More Than Just Another Feature
Many schools initially think a mobile app is only useful for showing homework or downloading report cards.
In reality, it becomes the school's primary communication channel.
When communication is quick, simple, and affordable, schools naturally communicate more often.
Everyone benefits.
Teachers save time.
Parents stay informed.
Students miss fewer important updates.
Final Thoughts
Technology is not always about adding new features.
Sometimes, it simply removes everyday problems.
For Gurukul Public School, the mobile app became a reliable way to communicate with parents every single day.
Nearly 2 million notifications in one year is not just a number.
It reflects thousands of small interactions between the school and families.
If your school is still depending mainly on SMS for routine communication, it may be time to consider a better approach.
A good mobile app doesn't replace personal communication.
It simply makes it easier to stay connected.
Want to see how InstiKit can improve communication in your school?
Request a free demo and experience the difference yourself.